Hostile Witness
by Turned
Summary: Bella bears witness to a horrible crime, of which she cannot speak. Canon characters, AU, EPOV.
1. Chapter 1

A/N All characters are based on those created by Stephenie Meyer. No infringement is intended.

Hostile Witness

Jasper unceremoniously dropped the file in front of me onto my desk. "It's a good one."

I watched as he sank into a chair on the opposite side of the room and stretched his legs, waiting for him to explain further. "No, really, have a look," he insisted.

I opened it, and a part of me woke up as I viewed photos, a crime scene, I quickly surmised. "Quite a blood bath," I said leafing through them. "Why am I looking at these?" On second perusal I paused. "A child? Shit, Jasper."

He'd been watching me, carefully. "Homicide."

"No kidding," I said, closing the folder. "There's nothing 'good' about it." We didn't do murders. Well, not anymore, not in that sense. I held up my hands. "What do you want?" Jasper didn't play games, and this was annoying me, which I knew he could feel.

"I want you to read it this time."

I took an unnecessary breath and grabbed the file again. "Why? What am I looking for?"

"Just read it."

I skipped the gore and scanned the police report. "Fifteen month old victim...family statements..." Tribal land. "Jasper?"

"Keep going," he said evenly, rubbing his face with his hands.

No witnesses, one person found unconscious at the scene. The only point of interest was the location. "Does Carlisle know these people?" I asked.

Jasper smirked and dragged his chair closer. "You could say that."

I studied the photos again. "This is really fucking gruesome." Even our kind rarely left such a mess. "Does someone think it was us?" No vampire would leave so much blood, or attack a small child, for that matter. I studied my brother-in-law, trying to pick up the parts he was leaving out.

"Carlisle forwarded that to me," he started. "Two days ago he got a call from the local police chief, who happens to be a friend of his." Jasper raised his eyebrows, and I smiled. Only Carlisle. "The chief's beside himself, knows Carlisle has two sons who are attorneys."

"Medical malpractice attorneys," I argued.

Jasper waved me off and continued. "You read the police report?" he asked, and I nodded. "One person left alive at the scene."

I flipped through to the police report. "Isabella Swan. What's your point?"

"Forks Police Chief Charles Swan's daughter," he replied, smiling.

"Huh." I looked down at the report again. "She's the prime suspect?"

"Survivor's usually are."

"I didn't see any pictures of her..."

"Already in custody." Jasper leaned on the corner of my desk and stared at me. "Carlisle thinks you can help."

"I'm not a trial lawyer," I protested. Neither was he.

"She's being moved today to the county facility," he said, ignoring me. "Right here in PA."

"I know where it is. How am I going to help?" I was being stubborn, I knew. I used my telepathy on a daily basis, I'd shaped entire lawsuits around what I'd read from the minds of our legal opponents.

"She refuses to talk."

"That's her lawyer's problem, not ours," I pointed out.

"She won't talk to him, either."

"Jasper-"

"Alice says we should take the case," he said quietly, closing the door in his mind to any further discussions.

"We're not defense attorneys, and we don't do this type of law."

"We'd be consultants, not her attorneys of record."

"Whatever the fuck that means." I was pissed. Our hands were tied, and I knew it. Carlisle usually asked very little of us, and Alice's endorsement practically sealed the deal. "When am I seeing her?" I asked, resigned.

"Six-thirty sharp. Visiting hours. Her PD is expecting you." Jasper stood up, taking the file with him. "Alice says you should hunt first."

"Where is she?" I asked. Alice usually worked with us, but hadn't come into the office this morning. Now I knew why.

Jasper grimaced. "She's in Forks...for an indefinite period of time."

"What's really going on here?" I demanded. This made no fucking sense, and I'd be damned if I'd spend one second in a county jail if I didn't have to.

He shook his head. "I don't know. She said she can't tell me."

"Can't or won't?" I grumbled.

"Edward..."

I got it. "Sorry." He couldn't handle his mate's absence, I understood. I'd been living amongst my family for decades, I understood their dependence on each other. "I'll go...hunt...whatever."

"Six-thirty," he repeated as I brushed past him.

"Yep." That gave me four hours to kill, so to speak, and I planned to use it. On a whim, I walked past the courthouse, unsure of what I expected to see. It didn't look any different. I looped back to our office, and my car, and left for home.

The three of us shared a house outside the city limits, bordering the national forest. It was our first attempt away from our parents as a group. Jasper and I had lost a bet to our brother, Emmett, resulting in our forced entrance into law school. Four years later, here we were, taking random malpractice lawsuits thrown our way by our father. We were limited to those cases I thought we could settle out of court, as Jasper's restraint amongst humans inside closed spaces was somewhat limited. I assumed he would not be accompanying me inside the county jail.

"You're back." He lounged on the couch, phone to his ear.

"Is that Alice?" I asked.

"Carlisle," he replied, handing over his phone.

"Edward?" my father asked.

"What the hell do you think I'll be able-"

"Son, I'm sorry. I know this comes out of nowhere," he apologized, and I immediately felt ashamed. "There's not much I can tell you."

"Then what is it you expect me to do?"

Carlisle sighed, and I could hear Alice and my mother chattering in the background. "Charles Swan asked if I knew anyone...I think you could help."

"Jasper said she won't talk to anyone."

"Right. But you don't need her to talk."

"Yeah, I get that. But if she's innocent, and refuses to testify, there's not much I can do," I argued. If she refused to defend herself, there was nothing anyone could do.

"Alice believes she'll talk to you."

I didn't say anything for a moment. "I'll call you when I'm done," I promised.

"Thank you Edward, for doing this. Charles Swan is...he's a good man."

"So are you, Carlisle." Better than I'd ever be. I ended the call and glared at Jasper. "What isn't everyone telling me?"

"Just go see the girl, and we can talk later." He hopped to his feet and grinned. "It's not like you had anything planned. You can pretend it's a date."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Such language."

"I could have a date," I said hotly. "I don't need shit about-"

"Edward," he said gently, holding up his hands in submission. "I didn't mean anything."

I'd never found a mate, which up until now, hadn't bothered me, or so I thought. "It's fine...sorry." I glanced at my watch. "I should go."

"I'll drive."

"You don't have to-"

"I can't go in there with you, but you don't have to do this alone," he explained.

"Alice?" I asked, smirking.

"She said you might need me...later."

"You're not exactly selling me on this." I had no desire to need Jasper. We got along well, but it was usually the opposite. Alice and I were often the ones he needed.

"I never bet against her," he said, smiling, twirling his car keys on his fingers. "Let's go get this over with."

My thoughts exactly.


	2. Chapter 2

Hostile Witness

"That boy's a mess," Jasper drawled, gesturing to the man pacing the courthouse steps.

"What's his name? Yorkie?" I watched him check his phone, dropping his briefcase in doing so. He had public defender written all over him.

"Eric Yorkie. Second year in the office." He looked at me and smirked. "It's his only case at the moment."

"How do you know all this?" I asked, reaching for the car door.

"Friends in high places. I'll be waiting here," he promised.

"I'll be somewhere under there," I said, pointing below the building. "Why was she transferred here, anyway?" Wasn't there a women's facility somewhere in the state?

"Maximum security availability."

I slowly walked toward the man, honing in on his thoughts. His nerves were getting the best of him, and he sincerely hoped I knew what the hell I was doing. It made two of us. "Mr. Yorkie?" I asked politely. Luckily it was growing darker outside, shadowing my features. A human as nervous as he was, would probably shy away from my approach. "Edward Cullen," I said, offering my hand.

His relief was immediate, until he felt my cool touch. "Please, call me Eric."

"Can we take a moment," I suggested, "before we go in?"

"Sure," he said amiably, attempting to smooth his black hair. "You're a friend of the family, right?" he asked, glancing around me to the car on which Jasper was now leaning.

"My father is," I admitted. "He asked me to...he thought I might be able to help."

Eric took a good look at me, trying to place me. "You're not from Forks, though." Memories of high school flitted through his mind.

"Oh...no. Are you?"

"Yes, I graduated with Bella. Well, I was a year ahead of her." I saw an image of a girl, pretty, with long brown hair, laughing, with bookshelves behind her. "I know your father."

We were interrupted by a man's voice, calling out to Eric.

"Yorkie!"

Eric startled, almost losing his briefcase again. "Chief Swan!"

"Edward Cullen," I said smoothly, offering my hand before he could speak. I was fascinated with his thoughts, which were fairly muted. Either he had superior focus, or this was his natural state of mind.

"Charles Swan," he said gruffly. It had not been a good couple of days for him, as was evident on his weathered face. "I can't..." He cleared his throat and tried again. "I owe you and your father..."

What the fuck had Carlisle gotten me into? "Perhaps we should go inside?" I offered. I couldn't bear witness to this man's agony another minute.

The chief clapped Eric on the back and gestured for me to go ahead of him. I shot Jasper a final look and went inside.

Charles Swan must have known every officer and worker in the building, and within minutes I found myself in an interrogation room with Eric. The chief had to wait in another area, much to my relief.

"Why this room?" I asked.

"Privacy," Eric said simply, taking a seat. "There's one other female inmate at the moment. Bella's the only one in maximum."

"Bella?"

"Isabella," he said, looking at me, puzzled. "She goes by Bella."

"Right." Like I would know that. "Are those your notes?"

"Here," he said, shoving them across to me. "Not that she'll say anything." He was frustrated that she wouldn't help herself, that she refused to name anyone or discuss anything about that night. "Mint?"

"No, thanks."

He shrugged and laid them on the table between us. The loud succession of clanging doors started, and Eric straightened up in his chair. "Here she comes."

I could hear the thoughts of two women, both officers, concentrating on the task at hand. The door to the room unlocked, and the sound of chains on the floor caught my attention. I'd never been in this situation before, and I found it interesting. Then I smelled it. Blood.

Involuntarily, I swallowed and stilled, searching for the source. It wasn't normal to me, like the thousands and thousands of other times I smelled it, accompanied by the beating hearts of the humans around me. This blood spoke to me. This particular blood, which apparently belonged to Isabella Swan. Without thinking I grabbed the roll of mints and shoved several of them into my mouth, crushing them and holding them there. It somewhat helped.

"Hey, Bella," I heard Eric say kindly.

"Eric." Her voice was low and hoarse, and like her blood, it drew me to her.

"This is Edward Cullen. He's going to help with your case." There was a pause, while I continued working the foul taste of peppermint around my mouth. "Edward?"

How was I going to speak, without breathing? I chanced a look at the woman across from us and regretted it immediately. Gone was the happy image in Eric's mind, replaced by the defeated, worn face shared with her father. Humans rarely registered with me, aside from the obvious appeal, but this one was different. I nodded and looked down at Eric's notepad, furiously trying to collect myself. It was then that I noticed something and looked up at her suddenly.

"You alright there, Edward?" Eric asked shakily, awkwardly patting my back.

"I'm fine," I answered, staring at Bella. Her heart rate began to increase, and her eyes widened as a blush moved up her neck to her cheeks. I had not been mistaken, her mind was silent to me.

"You went to school with Eric?" I blurted, searching for anything coming from her head.

"Yes," she answered, shifting slightly away from the table.

"You grew up in Forks?"

Bella glanced at Eric before slowly looking back to me. "Yes." She cleared her throat and went on. "I lived in Arizona, too."

"I forgot about that," Eric piped up.

"Where do you live now?"

"Seattle," she said, narrowing her eyes at me. "Where do you live?" she fired back.

"Port Angeles." I was being rude, but I couldn't help myself. The idea that I was sent here, with the purpose of revealing her thoughts, and now I couldn't...it wasn't sitting well with me. Bella looked down at her hands in her lap, and I took the opportunity to sneak in the rest of the mints.

Something on Eric's notepad caught my eye. "Where does your boyfriend live?"

"He's not my boy-" She stopped herself before finishing.

"Are you sure?" I had no idea what was driving me, but I needed to be sure. Eric sat there, open mouthed, his eyes following our questions, back and forth.

"Are we done here?" she asked angrily, pushing back from the table.

"Until tomorrow," I promised, standing as she did.

"Oh, uh, I'll have to put you on-" Eric stammered.

"Don't I have the right to refuse counsel?" She would have put her hands on her hips, were her wrists not shackled together.

"I'm not your counsel," I said, lowering my voice. I hadn't meant to embarrass her.

"Then what the hell are you?" she hissed.

I wasn't sure. "The one who will get you out of here," I promised. What had gotten into me, I had no idea, but I wasn't lying to her. I forced myself further away from her, and watched silently as she was escorted out.

"Well," Eric started, "she definitely talked to you more than she has to me."

I reached for his notes. "Can I have these?"

"Uh, sure."

"Who have you talked to so far?" I asked, looking them over.

"I marked their names," he said, pointing to a couple of places. Christ, what had he been doing the past two days?

"Is her address in here somewhere?"

"Uh huh."

I left the room, trailed by him. "What were you, Eric? Valedictorian? Honors?"

"Yeah, why?" He hurried to keep up with me.

"Was Bella?" He said they were a year apart, but for someone like him to know her, they must have had classes together.

"What, honors? Yes. She's very smart. Why do you ask?" We waited for our personal effects to be returned to us, staring at each other.

"Curious." I took my wallet back from the guard, and handed Eric some bills. "Get her some books. The classics you read in your honors classes. They probably have to be new."

"That's a lot of books," Eric said, eyeing the money.

"She's got time," I replied. "When's her arraignment?"

"Next week."

"I'll be in touch tomorrow. Thank you for the notes." I didn't wait for him as I took off through the door. "Tell her father I'll be in contact with him tomorrow," I yelled back over my shoulder.

"Well, well, well," Jasper greeted me.

"Shut it." I grabbed his car keys from him and pushed him out of the way. "Can you run home from here? I need the car."

"I could, if you told me what has you so wound up. Though I think I can guess," he said, looking me over.

"Huh?" I looked down at my clothes. Christ, I was hard. When had that happened?

"Batting for the other team? I didn't think Eric was that attractive." He laughed as he climbed in the passenger's side.

"I take it you're coming with me," I huffed, climbing in as well.

"I want to hear all about your date."

I dug out my phone and gave it to him. "Call Carlisle and tell him I'll meet him in the morning before he leaves for work."

"Anything else?"

"You dragged me into this," I said defensively. I needed to see where Bella lived, to see how she lived. I realized, I needed to be near her, and this was the closest I could get. I also needed to talk to Carlisle, to find out why.

We were silent for most of the way, Jasper not even questioning where we were going. "I want her out of there," I said finally.

"Well, then," Jasper replied, reclining his seat and grinning. "We should probably get her out."


	3. Chapter 3

Hostile Witness

"Guess we're climbing," I said, staring at the tall apartment building in downtown Seattle.

"The hell we are," Jasper argued, walking to the front entrance.

I quickly followed him in, marveling at the ease with which he strolled through the small lobby as he headed for the stairwell.

"Sir-"

We paid the elderly gentleman sitting behind the desk no mind, and disappeared up the fifteen flights of steps, probably before he could even rise from his chair.

"There are security cameras," I warned.

"Looking for what, exactly?" He had a point. We both paused outside Bella's door, and I listened for anyone's thoughts inside, while Jasper examined the locks. "Only the best for the police chief's daughter," he mused, picking them both within seconds once I'd given him the go ahead.

"Your talents are wasted in our field," I commented, closing the door silently behind us.

"I'm thinking of private investigation next."

Her apartment was a small one, one bedroom. "It smells like her," I said, swallowing again against the venom that surged in my mouth.

"It's good," he admitted, nodding. "So...why exactly are we here?"

I had no answer for him. "I just..." I didn't know, so I left him there in the living room, searching for her bedroom. Bella's scent was even more concentrated, and I unconsciously picked up a sweatshirt from her bed, holding it to my face.

I wandered to the bookshelves and desk that lined the wall opposite her desk. "I could take the laptop," I said, turning to Jasper, who had followed me.

"You could," he agreed. "Pictures?"

"No idea." I recognized her father in one of them, and Bella, of course, but none of the others in the photos.

"Is that her?" he asked. "She's pretty." He leaned in closer. "She doesn't look like the murdering type."

"I don't think she is," I mused, running my fingers over her image.

"What if she did?"

As if any of us had room to talk. "What do you know about what happened, Jasper?" We hadn't talked about it, and I usually preferred that to poking around in his mind.

"Not much. Your girl was found at the scene, taken to the hospital under police custody, woke up and was incarcerated." He shrugged and sat on the chair at the desk. "She refused to say she didn't do it, and I suppose, given the circumstances, they didn't know what to do with her."

"She didn't say she didn't do it?" I asked incredulously.

"She didn't say anything at all."

"Why?"

Jasper shook his head. "I don't understand it either. Certainly, if you're guilty and don't want to own up to it, you claim innocence. She's got a strong case for that, she was found at the scene, unconscious. No witnesses have come forward. It's a plausible alibi."

"And if you're innocent..." Why wouldn't she just say so? Unless...

"She might be covering for someone," he suggested. We both looked at each other grimly. "The state's going to pursue this, there's no way they won't. No matter who her father is."

We simultaneously turned our heads to the noise outside the apartment's front door. "Balcony," I hissed, and we both ran for it. Jasper immediately scaled his way to the roof of the building, while I stayed to watch, hoping whoever it was wouldn't notice the unlocked sliding door.

A young woman entered with a key, and went to the kitchen to fill a water pitcher, which she then used to water the plants scattered around Bella's apartment. Her thoughts were centered around helping and what she was doing. I could hear her sniff when she reached the bedroom, and I saw images of Bella, talking and laughing, presumably to this person. She returned with the pitcher and proceeded to empty out the refrigerator into the trashcan.

"Edward?" Jasper asked from somewhere above me.

"It's a friend of hers," I said, watching the woman tie up the trash bag before leaving the apartment with it. "She's gone." Jasper landed lightly next to me on the balcony, and we went back inside. "She must be taking care of the apartment." I followed her thoughts to another unit nearby. "She lives here, too."

"Character witness," Jasper suggested.

"This isn't our case," I reminded him.

"Uh huh." He glanced around the room before checking his watch. "Are we staying?"

I wanted to, but I also wanted to speak with Carlisle. "Thanks for coming here with me, Jasper. You didn't have to."

He waved me off and smiled. "I wouldn't mind climbing down this time, if you don't mind that window staying unlocked," he said, pointing at the sliding door. "It'll make it easier for you to get in next time."

I ignored him, and within minutes we were back on the road toward home.

"You gonna let go of that at some point?" he asked, tugging on the sweatshirt I still had clenched to my chest.

"Christ, I didn't realize I still-"

"We could turn around," he offered.

"Shut up." I was keeping it. I didn't know why, but I was keeping it. I liked having Bella's scent, I liked the way it made me feel. Jasper started humming, and I knew it was to keep his thoughts at bay. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If you don't mind my off-key humming, I don't mind your mind-reading." He turned his attention back to the road. "Honestly, Edward, I'm not sure what to think."

"Me, neither."

Jasper bobbed his head before looking at me. "It's good to see you interested in something, though," he said casually.

"You don't think it's...strange?" I asked quietly.

That had him laughing. "My wife sees the future. I don't think I'd know normal if it bit me in the ass."

"Good point."

"Besides, you saw Bella's place. Her room looks like yours." I'd noticed. "She went to the University, top of her class. She's got a pretty serious job with a newspaper. There's nothing strange about your interest in her." He tapped his fingers along the steering wheel. "I could see you doing exactly the same as she is, if the roles were reversed," he speculated. "You'd take the fall for one of us, if that's what this is."

"You give me too much credit," I argued. "I wouldn't go to prison for Rose."

"You know what I mean."

I thought over what he'd said. "Her blood is different."

"Interesting." His humming got louder and he reached for the radio.

I stopped his hand. "Just tell me."

"There's nothing to tell! I don't know what it's supposed to mean," he protested. "I think she's yours, Edward. I know it's screwed up, and she might be a murderer, but I think she's meant to be yours." He glanced at me. "For the record, I don't think she's a murderer."

I didn't think she was, either. "But she's human."

Jasper snorted as we pulled into our parents driveway. "Weren't we all?" He was out of the car in a flash. "Listen," he said, leaning into the window. "I'm meeting Alice out back, so I'll see you at home later. You might want to leave the shirt in the car." He winked and took off.

I got to the porch as Carlisle opened the door. "Hey."

He was more flustered than I'd ever seen him. "Edward. I'm so sorry." He reached out to hug me, and I caught a glimpse over his shoulder of my mother inside. She looked worried.

"I need to know what's going on," I said, following him inside.

Esme smiled and patted the seat beside her. "It's quite a story," she promised.

"I take it, you've met her. You made it to the jail." I nodded, and he looked relieved. "Where should we start?"

I held out my hands. "How do you know her?"

Carlisle nodded and took a seat across from us. "I've known her for awhile. And her father. Small town, you know the drill. She came through the ER a few times, sprained wrist, that type of thing."

"Alright."

"Cut to the chase, sweetheart," Esme said kindly.

"Right." He looked at me seriously, and I almost couldn't believe what flashed through his head. "Hear me out."

"Werewolves?" I asked.

"Shape shifters, really. Just wait," he insisted. "Our kind has been here before. There was a pact, a treaty."

I was impatient. "Get to the part about the wolves and Bella." Esme patted me on the knee, and I sighed. "Sorry."

"It's understandable," he assured me. "To make a long story short, the Quileute tribe here are the descendants of wolves. At least that's the story. When our kind showed up, it triggered a transformation in the males of the tribe of a certain age."

"Why?" I asked.

"To serve as protectors. It only happens when vampires are around."

I was dumbfounded. "They shape shift into wolves?"

"Yes. It's been awhile, but since your mother and I moved back several years ago..."

"Is Bella one?"

"No!" Esme exclaimed. "Only tribal members."

"What's the treaty for?" I asked.

"Well, we're obviously enemies, but as long as we feed from animals, and not humans, it's amicable between us."

Esme laughed. "Amicable might be too generous a word."

Carlisle's thoughts turned darker, then. "We should talk about Bella," he offered.

"What happened to the child?" Though I had an idea where this was going. "Was it a wolf?"

Carlisle looked to Esme, before settling on me. "We believe so. You saw the pictures. I'm going to guess, that Bella witnessed one of the tribe...killing the child, and was injured herself."

My chest tightened, and I had to lean back where I sat. "She can't say anything, can she?" I had to assume the shape shifting thing was a secret, much like ours.

"Not if she wanted to be believed. I also think, she's the type who won't say anything," he said quietly.

"They're going to let her do this?" I asked, suddenly disgusted.

"Edward-"

"She's expendable, right?" I fumed. "She's not one of them, so they don't care?"

"I'm not sure that's how they feel," Esme said gently. "They lost a child, sweetheart. And Bella."

"You're joking, right? They don't have to lose Bella! They just have to fucking man up-"

"Edward!" Carlisle yelled, and I tried to calm myself. "They're dealing as best they can. I'm sure they're not expecting her to cover up for them."

"Have you talked to them?" I wasn't sure of their intentions at all.

He shook his head. "They won't agree to speak with me. Chief Swan is very close to the tribe, and I've tried to communicate with them, that he has asked for my help."

"But you're a vampire." What a fucking mess.

"What are you thinking?" Esme asked, prodding.

"I need to get her to talk to them."

"Why?"

"Either she knows who it was, or they know who it was. They put her in this position, they need to get her the hell out of it." Of course she wasn't going to talk to the police or courts, or even her father, about this. Who would believe her? "What was she doing there in the first place?"

"Babysitting, I believe," Carlisle answered.

"She lives in Seattle." It was a long way to go for a babysitting commitment.

"She's close to them," Esme said.

"I see." I didn't see at all, and I didn't like the way it was making me feel. I was jealous.

Esme then surprised me. "What's she like?"

Different answers came to mind, but I couldn't say any of them. I stared across the room and thought about the sweatshirt laying in Jasper's car. "I have to help her."

They both nodded, and Esme put her hand over mine. "We think so, too."

I tried to find my voice amongst all of their kindness. "She's different."

"That's usually how it works," she said, sighing.

"She's very nice," Carlisle offered, smiling. "Quite smart. I think she finished high school early."

"You don't have to sell her to me," I complained. "You should know," I added, "I can't read her mind." I nodded, looking at both of them. "Just in case you thought this would be easy."

"No!" Esme exclaimed.

"Yep."

"So I guess you'll have to get to know her the old-fashioned way, like everyone else," Carlisle said, laughing.

"Shackled in a jumpsuit, during visiting hours." But it wasn't funny.

"It must be awful for her," Esme said sadly.

I tried not to think about it. "I'll see her every day," I promised, and she nodded, squeezing my hand. "I need to know what the tribe is thinking." I wondered if I could convince Bella to have one of them visit her while I was there. I'd have to ask Yorkie about it.

Carlisle was deep in thought. "I could try again. Maybe if I went with Chief Swan. It's possible, I could use the pretense of you working with Bella...I'll try speak with them later today. We'll find a way to get you near them."

It was worth the effort. I couldn't build any offense, without knowing the plans of the tribe. "I'll call her father today, as well." I'd ask him to speak with the slain child's family, or some such excuse, see what he said. I knew it could come down to forcing the tribe's hand, something Jasper would be better equipped to handle than Carlisle or Chief Swan. "There's something else..."

"Go on," Carlisle said.

"What happens if..." I didn't know how to broach it, the idea of me and another being, let alone a human, becoming close. "Eventually, she'll know what I am."

"If that's what happens," Esme said, "then that's what happens."

It couldn't be that simple. "What if she hates me...hates this?"

Carlisle raised his eyebrow and tried not to smile. "She hangs around with wolves, son. I think she can deal with us."

"Do you think it's that simple?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course not. Nothing worth having is."

"At least you're trying to help her, that's what's important," Esme said encouragingly.

I could only help Bella saw it that way.


	4. Chapter 4

Hostile Witness

Jasper wasn't back by the time I left for jail that morning. I'd called the Forks police station and learned Chief Swan was on a temporary leave of duty, but I decided to wait until after speaking with Bella to visit him. There were only two blocks of time allowed per week for visitation of prisoners, and I could only imagine the state I'd find him in, no job, his daughter arrested for murder.

"You're bright and early."

I was prepared this time, or so I thought, for the assault of Bella's scent. "There's a lot to do before your arraignment," I said mildly. I'd spent a good hour with my head buried in her stolen sweatshirt before coming to the jail.

"They'll enter a plea for me, won't they?" she asked. "How much preparation will you need to stand there and say nothing?"

For the first time, I let myself stare. Jasper was right, Bella was pretty, very pretty. The obvious fatigue, and whatever she was holding in, were visibly dragging her down, though. But there was also something else. Today she was...angry. I could work with angry.

"You don't intend to enter a plea?" I asked innocently, taking out a legal pad and pen.

"Are you even old enough..." she started, ignoring my question. "You don't seem like a lawyer."

"You don't seem like a murderer," I commented, uncapping my pen.

She tried to keep her expression neutral, but her cheeks were on fire. "You're an expert on the subject?" she spit out.

"You could say that," I replied blandly. Little did she know. I felt every person had the potential to be a murderer, given the right motivation. I didn't think in this circumstance, Bella was one. "Was the child yours, Bella?"

Her mouth popped open, and she abruptly closed it. "You know he wasn't."

"Was the father of the child your husband, or boyfriend?" I quickly asked.

"Sam? What? No! How much do you even know about it? Didn't you read-" she fumed, before catching herself.

I carefully clasped my hands together in front of me on the table and looked at her. "Who murders children?"

"How the fuck would I know?" She was blinking rapidly, trying not to cry, and I found it telling that she didn't object to my use of the word murder.

"Good point," I said, nodding, "you wouldn't. So I'll tell you. Parents...sometimes." Sociopaths, but the statistics didn't bear mentioning them. "And jealous boyfriends." Not always murder, I was stretching it, but certainly abuse, and the abuse that led to death, intentional or not. "I don't believe the Uley's murdered their child, nor do I believe you did," I said calmly.

I'd memorized Eric's notes. The parents of the slain child had an alibi, as did most of their family members and friends, who were all attending a wedding thirty minutes away from the crime scene. The over-documentation of the event would come in handy, I thought, in excluding potential suspects.

I could hear and watch Bella's heart break in front of me. "Has anyone come to visit you?" I asked gently.

"My dad," she choked, wiping her eyes furiously with her shackled hands. "You guys."

"Here," I said, handing her a handkerchief Esme had stuffed into my pocket that morning. "I meant from the tribe," I clarified, and she snorted. I took that as no.

Bella drew in a large stuttering breath and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry you've been put in this position."

Her eyebrows rose, as did her heart rate. "What position?" she asked nervously.

"Loyalty to the tribe, loyalty to your family...it's not easy keeping secrets," I offered. "Your hands are tied, literally and figuratively." It was a risk, because I really didn't think Bella Swan was a weak person, and she could easily shut me out, if I pushed her too far.

Her eyes narrowed, but instead of alienating her, I'd intrigued her. Good. "Edward," she said evenly.

"Bella." I tried not to smirk, as I watched her grapple with her thoughts, imagining what they were. She knew, I knew, she knew I knew, I knew she knew I knew...I never before understood how much I was attracted to an intelligent woman. Or maybe it was just this one. "Mint?" I offered, handing her the pack. I'd already consumed two others.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

I'd already told her that. "You're not staying here," I promised.

She leaned in then, serious. "I can't...say anything."

I leaned in, too, mirroring her. "I get that." Being so close to her, I couldn't help but smile, despite her sadness, despite her situation.

"How?" she asked, staring at my mouth. I think I groaned, straining against the table, and we both pulled back.

I was going to have to leave. "I just do, Bella. You'll have to let it go at that." I hated it, leaving her there. "There are those, who can say something, though. And they're going to." I would see to it. How anyone could have left this woman to take the fall...I was quite the hypocrite, I realized. Very few vampires would behave differently than these wolves were.

"You don't have to-" she protested.

"Would you like me to stop?"

She swallowed and shook her head. "No."

I wasn't trying to be rude, or cause her any additional pain. But what was needed was her urge to fight, her refusal to shoulder a responsibility that wasn't hers. The murder was the problem of the tribe, who were conveniently not handling it. "Take this," I said, sliding my card across to her. "You're allowed phone calls. Use it."

She nodded and stood when I did. "I'm afraid to hope..." she admitted quietly.

"Don't. But I'd like you to think about entering your own plea." If this wasn't sorted, and Bella's case went to trial, the tribe needed to know, she wasn't going without a fight. When she started to protest I held up my hand, and decided to show it, as well. I hoped it would work. "Pleading not guilty, is not the same as saying, I witnessed a shape shifting wolf attack a child, before it attacked me."

Bella staggered and caught herself on the back of her chair. "How could you possibly know-"

"There's a lot out there," I said, fighting the urge to go to her. But I knew if I touched her, or held her, I'd be pulling her through walls to escape with her. "I hope you'll trust me, Bella." I gestured to the card she clasped in her hands. "If any of them visit you, please call me. It would really help if I could be here, while they were."

She nodded and rapped on the door for her guards. "Thank you," she whispered. I'd given her much to think about.

"You're welcome," I said sincerely. I debated whether to tell her I was going to visit her father and decided against it. "I'll see you soon."

I was not surprised to find Jasper outside, waiting for me. My antics had probably given Alice a headache.

"You're killing me," he whined, shaking his head, and I laughed. "When did you grow such big ones?"

"They've always been right here," I said, palming my crotch. "Waiting," I added. For Bella, apparently. "I'm going to see the Chief."

"Which one?" he deadpanned, climbing into his car. Alice was back in our home, his mind was full of her, intentionally or not.

"He's been relieved of his duties," I mused, staring out the car window, listening to Jasper croon. "Do you even have any exes?" I asked.

"Yep, and they all live in Texas," he sang. I was beginning to enjoy our excursions.

"I think she's coming around."

"Prison'll do that to you." Jasper genuinely felt bad for Bella, which was surprising to me. His thoughts toward humans were generally of the violent, blood-draining sort. "Even though it's driving her crazy, Alice says you seem to be heading in the right direction."

We pulled up behind a truck in the driveway of Chief Swan's home. "You coming in?" I asked.

"Suppose I should introduce myself," he huffed, following me to the door. Jasper, like me, was curious as to how Chief Swan was coping. I guessed his concern for Bella extended to her father.

The door swung open before we could knock. "Morning, boys," Charles Swan said, gesturing for us to come in, as if he'd been expecting us. He held his hand out to Jasper. "You must be Carlisle's other son."

"Son-in-law," Jasper politely corrected, reluctantly shaking the Chief's hand. "Jasper Whitlock, sir."

"Please, call me Charlie." He led us through his home, to the kitchen. "Don't mind the mess."

Jasper whistled and admired the assortment of guns, in various stages of assembly, on the Chief's kitchen table. I supposed we knew how Charlie had been keeping himself busy.

"Sorry about those," Charlie apologized, looking at the weapons. "I've never had so much goddamned time on my hands before." He handed us both a cup of coffee and led us out through the back door to a porch. "Sit."

Jasper chose the porch steps, and I took a chair opposite the Chief. I cursed my brother-in-law mentally, as he now had a way of dumping out his coffee.

"Just got a call from my daughter." Interesting. Charlie fixed his stony gaze on me. "Don't know how you did it..." He was choked up, and relieved, for the first time in days.

"She's not going to prison." I couldn't promise she'd be out soon, but she'd never be convicted.

"She never should have been arrested," he growled out. Jasper and I both nodded in agreement.

"How exactly did that happen, Charlie?" Jasper asked. I knew what he was getting at. According to the police report, the crime scene had been contaminated by multiple people before the police arrived.

Charlie shook his head, angry. "No one even took any pictures of Bella, or where she was found." I'd noticed that. "I assume you'll subpoena the hospital records, and coroner's report?" he asked. We both nodded, and he went on. "Unofficially, that poor child died of blunt trauma to the head." Charlie cleared his throat and struggled to compose himself. "He was...thrown, probably from Bella's arms when she was hit."

Jasper silently begged me to keep quiet, and I briefly nodded. "So the blood was the child's?"

"Yeah..." Charlie looked out over his backyard. "From his head. Bella broke a few ribs, hit the back of her head. Enough to knock her out, probably from her fall from the porch. There was a railing busted apart. Looked like she might have gone through it."

I hadn't stopped to think that Bella was injured, that her shuffling gait was anything but the chains around her feet. "Is she okay?" I blurted.

Charlie barked out a laugh. "Bella? She's indestructible, has the scars to prove it. The child..." Charlie moved his hand to various parts of his head. "Lots of deep lacerations...and from his mouth. You know how that stuff bleeds." We did. "Still, it's ridiculous. It doesn't fit, everyone knows it. Bella's injuries were just as bad as his, but she's an adult. It didn't kill her."

"So how did she come to being arrested?" Jasper repeated.

Charlie stared at both of us, contemplating. "I don't think anyone really thinks she did it," he said finally. "It's what she said when she woke up. Or didn't say."

"The DA believes she knows who did it," I finished for him.

Charlie shrugged, but I knew he agreed with me. His law enforcement background was keeping him from speaking without any evidence. "I don't suppose you boys know who the assistant DA is?" he asked.

Jasper cocked his head at me. "Rachel Clearwater?" he ventured. I had no idea who that was. "Are you saying she's tribal?"

"She's not on this case, is she?" I asked in disbelief.

"No, of course not. But she does work for them."

We all let that sink in. "Tell me about the Uley's, Charlie," I said.

"What about them?" he asked, shrugging. "Nice folks. Sam's from here, the wife's not. Got married a few years ago."

"Stable relationship?" I pressed. Not that I suspected them, they hadn't been home at the time.

Charlie was thoughtful, but I couldn't read him well. "I'd say so. He'd been engaged before, but called it off when he met Emily. Bit of a scandal at the time."

"Why, was Emily involved with someone else?"

"Oh, I don't know. I was referring to Sam. He was engaged to Leah Clearwater."

So there it was. Possibly. "Relative of Rachel's?" I asked.

"Cousin." Charlie narrowed his gaze at me, much as his daughter had done. "Where are you going with this?"

"Motive," I said simply.

"Leah's not much bigger than Bella," Charlie said.

"Didn't stop them from arresting her," Jasper pointed out, standing. "Thanks for the coffee, sir. We have a meeting with your daughter's attorney," he lied.

"Where is Yorkie?" Charlie asked, temporarily distracted.

"Filing motions." I had to give Eric credit, he knew his paperwork. He had a long list of people he wanted to depose, and I knew they'd probably all have to be eventually subpoenaed to appear.

"Thanks for keeping me in the loop," Charlie said sincerely. We'd given him hope, much like Bella. I was beginning to understand Carlisle's drive to practice medicine on humans.

"We'll keep in touch," I promised, and Jasper and I hurried around the side of the house before he could protest. Or refill our coffee cups.

"Do the females transform?" Jasper hissed as we pulled away. He seemed as upset with the information Charlie had given us, as I was.

"I have to talk to one of them." And I couldn't wait for a subpoena. "Or at least, get around one of them." We would need the list of wedding attendees, as well. "Can you find out if the police have questioned Leah?" I asked.

"They should just ask Bella where Leah was the night in question," he drawled, snickering. "Might be the one question she answers."

I doubted it. "Having Rachel Clearwater in the DA's office could be a good thing."

"How do you figure?"

"Well, the family could drop the charges."

Jasper snorted. "And the DA's office can still pursue it. What's your point?"

"Exactly. Having her there could influence them to do the same." Especially if Leah Clearwater could be persuaded to come forward, or even forced. "Either way, the crime scene was a mess." The state would never win at trial. "Arresting Bella was a mistake, as well."

"They really seemed to jump the gun on this one," Jasper agreed. "Tribes are loyal, like a family. Why turn on someone like Bella?"

"Depends on what's over your head." Something our kind understood all too well.

Jasper shook his head. "She might want to reconsider her allegiance."

I was sure she was. Instead of turning for home, Jasper headed for town. "I can get my car later," I offered.

"Planning on running to Seattle?" he asked, smirking.

Maybe. I couldn't decide which was stronger, the need to be near Bella, or her apartment, where I could experience her scent, and touch her things. Lay in her bed...

"Get out," Jasper snapped, reaching across me to open my door. "Take your hard-on with you."

"And my big b-"

"Shut the fuck up," he groaned, pulling away.

Seattle, it was.


	5. Chapter 5

Hostile Witness

I made it halfway to Seattle until I had to pull over.

"Eric Yorkie," he answered on the first ring.

"It's Edward Cullen."

"Hey...I'm at the courthouse."

I could hear that over his phone. "We need to meet," I said, making a quick u-turn. My date with Bella's apartment would have to wait. "When are you done there?"

"Uh, now, actually."

I gave him the address to our office before hanging up, telling him I'd be there within the half hour. It had suddenly occurred to me, what the DA's approach of the case would be. My phone rang, and I knew it was Jasper.

"Alice said to call you," he said drily.

"Couldn't she just spill it, and save us the hassle?" I complained.

"I think she's enjoying seeing you flustered," he joked. "What's up?"

"I'm meeting Yorkie at the office."

"On my way," he said simply, ending the call.

I found Eric outside, huddled on a bench, agonizing over his phone. His mind was all over the place, but one name jumped out over the rest of the turmoil. "Eric?" I said gently. He was vested in the case, and it was taking its toll on him. I hoped for his sake, he moved on from the public defender's office.

"Oh, hi Edward." He grabbed his things in both arms to follow me inside. "Nice office," he commented.

"Thanks." We both sat and I glanced at my watch, for his show. I knew Jasper was on his way in. "My partner will be joining us. Jasper Whitlock."

Eric nodded and pulled out several folders. "I ran into the DA today."

I already knew this, but wanted to wait for Jasper, who had just slipped through the door. "This is Eric Yorkie," I said, gesturing to Bella's PD, who jumped once he saw my brother-in-law.

"Pleasure," Jasper remarked. He didn't bother shaking Eric's hand and settled behind me at the window. "I hear you're doing an excellent job."

Eric cleared his throat, not sure what to make of Jasper's comment. "I'm trying," he said sincerely.

I held up my hand to both of them. "Arraignment's in four days," I started, and they both nodded. "I think the judge's going to drop this."

Eric's eyebrows furrowed in thought, and I glanced back at Jasper, who shrugged. Some help he was. "I think you may be right, Edward," Eric said softly. "She's charged with murder..."

"Which was stupid on the DA's part," I finished for him.

I could hear Eric's thoughts falling into line with mine. "When she refused to talk...," he speculated.

"They should have released her, and try to nail her for obstruction later on." Someone had a hard-on, besides me, for Bella Swan, and I was guessing her name was Rachel Clearwater. "That would have stuck." Well, before now. Now, Bella was going to talk, whether she knew it or not.

"You're sure about this?" Jasper asked.

Eric spoke up first. "It's a weak case." I nodded, but Jasper's hard stare unnerved him. I hissed at my brother-in-law under my breath, and he waved at Eric to go on. "Even though Bella was at the scene, she was unconscious from injuries almost as extensive as the victim's. She never admitted to anything, and technically, she's innocent until proven guilty." He was right, the burden of proof was not on her, she didn't have to say anything. "And as far as the physical evidence..."

"Right," Jasper agreed. "That child's blood was trampled all over the place."

"None of it, on Bella," Eric said quietly, and I looked at him. "She didn't do it."

"It's a moot point to waste any more time on this angle," I said, in hopes of somehow comforting him. "No judge would recommend this for trial."

"I'm not withdrawing anything until then, though," Eric said.

"No, don't." We'd end up needing to speak to everyone, if the DA decided to pursue the case from another way. "We'll stay on with you," I offered, and Jasper snorted. "They're going to question her again."

Eric shook his head. "Yeah, but I won't be her attorney." Shit, he was right. "I'll find someone," he promised.

"Don't suppose you'd like to give Miss Swan the good news, would you?" Jasper teased.

I ignored him and stood, just as my phone went off. I checked the ID and paused. "Are we done here?" I asked, already moving from the office. I didn't have to hear the series of clicks and automated message to know it was Bella, calling from the jail.

"Edward?" Her voice was desperate, and my chest seized up.

"What's wrong?"

There was commotion on her end. "They're taking me to the hospital," she said breathlessly.

"What happened?" Was she hurt again? An unfamiliar sense of anger swelled in me, and I had to fight to contain it.

"Nothing happened. They can't...treat me here. Listen, I told them my lawyers wanted to document my injuries..."

"You weren't photographed?" I shook my head, though she couldn't see me, and willed myself to calm down.

"They're getting ready to take me now. Can you...can you meet me there? It's Olympic Medical..." The line clicked again and went dead.

Without thinking, I had already started on foot, and Jasper caught up with me. "She needs medical treatment," I explained. "She told them we wanted photos of her injuries. They never took pictures of her...I don't understand..."

Jasper pulled me between buildings and held me there. "Alright, alright, we'll get there." He stared at me until I nodded.

"I'll be good," I promised, not meaning a word of it.

"Uh huh." He eyed me for a moment. "Edward, you've got to bring it in." I could feel his influence, his gift of evening out my emotions, until I could answer.

"I guess you should come in with me."

"No shit." We waited outside the Emergency entrance until a county van pulled up. "Let's go check in with security," Jasper said, walking inside.

The medical staff was less interested in our presence, than the sheriff's escort, but they allowed us to wait outside the room until Bella arrived. "Why are they bringing her a wheelchair?" I asked aloud, as a hospital tech followed one of the sheriff's officers past us.

An emergency room nurse waiting with us clucked her tongue. "Four broken ribs and a fractured tibia," she said sharply. "Were you expecting her to walk?" The nurse had been on duty the night Bella was brought in and still couldn't believe she'd been released that night, let alone sent to jail. "Not to mention the concussion."

"We're her lawyers," Jasper explained lamely.

"Well, you're doing a hell of a job," she retorted. She ignored us, and slid back the glass door of the room to let Bella wheel past. "I'll let you know when you can come in," the nurse said curtly, closing the door and drawing the curtain.

"I like her," Jasper said, smirking. We could hear her giving the deputies a hard time, ordering them to remove the chains unless they wanted to be there all night, locking and unlocking them. "How are you doing?" he asked, observing me.

I was okay, for the time being. Bella's scent was always a problem, but I found my concern for her outweighing the discomfort. "I didn't know..." A fractured tibia? How was she able to walk, the times I'd seen her?

"Her dad said she was indestructible," he mused. "I doubt they're giving her anything serious for pain, either." We both stared, as a man in scrubs and long white coat entered the room, followed by another person pushing a large machine.

"X rays," Jasper commented. "Should we stand back?" I rolled my eyes, and stepped aside as the medical staff stepped out of the room.

The x ray machine was backed out, and the nurse gestured for us to follow her in. "You're lawyers are here," she announced, as we filed in behind her.

"Thanks." Bella lay there, dressed in a hospital gown. "Hi."

I nodded and swallowed, partially against the venom, partially against the emotion that was welling up inside me. "Bella, this is Jasper Whitlock, my partner."

"Miss Swan," Jasper said politely, bowing his head.

Bella's nurse rolled her eyes and huffed. "I was told you'd be photographing her injuries." Her tone would have been annoying, if not for the betrayal of her thoughts. This woman wanted nothing more than to bundle Bella up and hide her. I liked her, too.

"Right." I nodded and fished out my phone with shaky hands.

"How about I do it?" Jasper offered, taking the phone. "Ready when you are, sugar," he said, winking at the nurse, who snorted and helped Bella to sit on the edge of the stretcher. She gently pulled Bella's long hair to the side and untied her gown.

"You want to get the back first?" she asked Jasper quietly. She glared then, and I looked past me to see the deputies quickly turn around to face the door. "Sit straight, sweetie."

For the first time I looked. Bella's face was turned, into the nurse's shoulder, and her hands cupped her naked breasts. Jasper glanced at me over my phone, and went back to snapping pictures of the bruises and swelling that covered most of Bella's torso. How anyone thought her injuries were self-inflicted, that she was not a victim, as well...

"What is she getting for pain?" I asked, my voice cracking.

"Tylenol 3," the nurse replied. She didn't think it was enough.

"I'm okay," Bella whispered.

Jasper moved to the front of her. "Is there anything under...?"

"You should move your hands, honey. The swelling's worse on the left, and you're hiding it." Bella nodded and dropped her hands, her face never moving from the nurse, naked in front of us. "I'll wrap you right back up," she promised. "There's a bad mark on the back of her left thigh and buttock, too," the nurse told Jasper. "Probably from where she landed."

I couldn't watch anymore. I slowly grabbed Bella's gown, and stepped in front of her. "Bella?"

She nodded, and held out her arms so I could slip her into it. Her hands grasped mine, and she inched from the stretcher to stand. I fought the urge to hold her, especially as her erratic breathing turned into sobs. "I'm sorry," she choked out.

"Just the back of your legs, darlin'," Jasper assured her, quickly finishing. "All done."

"Stay there, I'll wrap you up," the nurse said, fishing around in the cabinet behind me.

Bella's hands clung to me, and I managed to wipe some of the tears from her cheeks as she stood there, shivering. "I c-c-can't wait t-to..take a b-b-bath," she tried to joke, teeth chattering.

"They're not letting you bathe?" the nurse asked, her head shooting up from behind Bella.

Bella shook her head. "No one t-t-to wrap me."

"She has a right to basic medical care," the nurse hissed at the deputies. "Tell whomever's giving you your meds, to wrap you back up." When Bella didn't answer, the nurse stood up. "Are you getting your meds?"

Bella nodded, and her grip on me tightened. "It's f-f-fine, I'm fine."

The nurse sighed and brushed past the men guarding the door. "I'll be right back."

"Do you want to get dressed?" Jasper offered.

"We won't look," I promised.

Bella laughed, and finally looked up at me. "Kinda p-past that, aren't we?" Her brown eyes stared up at mine, and I was lost.

"Good Lord," I heard Jasper say. "Are these the underwear they give you?" He was helping her step into something, but she was still facing me, unwilling to let go.

"Aren't they nice?" she asked.

"My grandmother would think so," he commented. "You're gonna have to let go, Edward," he said, popping up over Bella's shoulder while he pulled up her jumpsuit.

"Sorry...sorry." I let go of her and took a step back, averting my eyes while desperately not wanting to. Once she'd zipped up, we both helped her back onto the stretcher. "What about your...?" I asked, gesturing to her leg.

"It's not fractured," she explained. "The doctor thinks I just landed on it wrong." She pulled up the blanket around her. "I could have told them that, I've broken enough bones in my life," she said, rolling her eyes. "It's a different kind of pain, believe me. My riibs hurt like a motherfucker, though," she said, closing her eyes.

Jasper laughed, loudly, and the one of the deputies turned and glared at us. "Sorry," he said, covering his mouth.

"Alright," the nurse said, bustling back in. "These are for you. Open up, no questions." She fed Bella two pills and made her drink some water. "I got the doctor to write for you to come back tomorrow. I'm expecting the jail will miraculously find someone to wrap your ribs for you, after your shower, though." She winked, and turned to glare at us. "I'm sure you two have plenty to do, in the meantime."

"Yes, ma'am," Jasper said, nodding.

"Gentlemen," she said, nodding stiffly before leaving.

Jasper and I stood awkwardly by, as Bella was wheeled back to the van, waving as she was pushed around the corner from our view. "That was the most fun I've had in awhile," he offered.

"Shut up."

"You want to follow them?" he offered.

"No, it's okay." I didn't trust that myself, that if there were one second in which I could swoop in and take her, that I wouldn't do it. "It's just a few more days." We made our way back to our office, where we were both parked. "Thanks for helping her."

"Thanks for letting me," he said lightly. Jasper had a point. Vampires weren't known for sharing, especially not around their mates. Shit.

"Jasper?"

Surely he'd felt the shift in me. "I told you already, she's meant for you," he answered, before I could even ask. He paused to unlock his car door. "I assume you're taking off," he said, and I nodded. "Tomorrow's Saturday."

"Visiting day," I agreed.

His thoughts were of who might come to see Bella, aside from her father. "I think we should be here," he suggested.

I agreed. While the state wouldn't get far with Bella, we still didn't know the tribe's position. "Do you think someone might actually show up?"

Jasper leaned against his car. "I've been thinking...if one of us were in her position..."

One of us would definitely try to make contact. "I'll be here before two," I promised. Jasper was staring at me, feeling me out. "I think it's better if I'm...not around her." Sneaking into the courthouse, of which I was more than capable, would not be beneficial to anyone.

"I think that's a good idea." He clapped me on the shoulder and got in his car, and I watched as he drove away.

I got into my own car, bringing my hands to my face. They reeked of Bella, of her tears, her skin. Tentatively I tasted them, groaning at the burning making its way up my throat. I knew it was wrong, but if I couldn't have her right then...

For the second time that day, I found myself on the way to Seattle.


	6. Chapter 6

Hostile Witness

I watched the day end from Bella's balcony, unable to force myself to go inside. After seeing her in the hospital, I did not want to be another of those mistreating her. It felt disrespectful to be there without her, when I'd never been invited. It was unfair to find solace in her home, when she couldn't. Another part of me just wanted to roll around in her bed and coat myself with her scent. Maybe if I opened the sliding door...

My phone interrupted my thoughts. "Carlisle?"

"Edward, how are you?" His voice was full of compassion, that I probably didn't deserve.

"I'm okay."

"I spoke with Charlie Swan today. He said you'd been by."

I recalled the day's events, surprised by how much had occurred. "He had a lot of useful information for us."

"He trusts you, Edward. I think you should know that."

Why? I suddenly looked around, as if anyone could see me, fifteen stories above the ground in the dark. "Well...he can trust me. Us." What was Carlisle getting at? "What's going on with you?"

"I didn't have any success with the tribal elders," he said, disappointment in his voice. "Billy Black wouldn't take my calls, so..." The name was familiar to me from Eric's notes. I also remembered, Billy Black was a close friend of Bella's father.

"I don't know that we'll need anything from them directly. Have you talked to Jasper?" I asked.

"He and Alice were just here." There was something on my father's mind. "I'd like to go with you tomorrow," he admitted.

"You would?" It probably wasn't a bad idea. "You wouldn't mind?"

"Mind?" he asked incredulously. "Of course not. It might help if..." His voice trailed off. "I'd like to help, if needed." Carlisle would always, for all of eternity, give help where it was needed.

"I'd like that."

"We agree with your thoughts on this not making it to trial, your mother and I," he went on. "It doesn't seem like much of a case."

"They made a mistake in arresting her," I said, easing onto my back, my head resting just inside Bella's apartment through the open door. "I'm not sure why, but I believe Rachel Clearwater had some influence there. Charging her with murder..."

"Has anyone spoken with Jacob Black?" Carlisle asked, cutting me off.

Another name from Eric's notes. The 'not my boyfriend.' "Not that I know of." Eric hadn't checked off that particular one.

"There's a connection there, between him and Rachel, I believe. And Bella. Charlie alluded to it, when we spoke. You must have given him some things to think about, Edward," Carlisle said. "He also mentioned the medical examiner's report has been submitted."

I abruptly sat up. "And?"

"Blunt force trauma to the head," he said quietly. "Asphyxiation, multiple lacerations and contusions..."

"Homicide?"

"No."

"They've got nothing-"

"Edward-"

"They've got fucking nothing-" A window opened below me, and I stopped talking.

"The report says the child's injuries are consistent with a fall, I suppose from the angle and placement of the injuries. His neck snapped."

We were both silent. "Did Jasper show you the pictures from the hospital?" I'd sent them to his phone, in the event something happened to mine.

"He did."

I wondered how closely Carlisle had looked at them. "Did you see her back?"

"Are you referring to the paw print?" he asked. I had wondered if I were imagining it. "I'm amazed Bella's neck wasn't snapped, as well."

"Do you think, then, that they were both hit from behind...?"

"I do," he said firmly. "I believe Bella saw it coming and tried to get the child inside. He must have been thrown from her arms before she went down herself."

I wondered how much Bella actually remembered of the attack. "Did Jasper mention Leah Clearwater? Are any of them...is it only the males of the tribe?"

Carlisle sighed. "I really don't know. We have to get you near them, Edward."

"Tomorrow." Someone would show up, or maybe I could get close enough to the DA's office, and Rachel Clearwater.

"I think Jacob Black will try to see her. I recall he once brought her to the emergency room. He wasn't too pleased that I had to treat her," he said, chuckling.

Not what I particularly wanted to hear, but it mattered very little. Lines had been drawn, and in my opinion, Jacob was firmly on the wrong side. "He won't be too pleased with her choice of representation, either," I mused.

"Well," Carlisle breathed out. "Perhaps he should have thought of that sooner." It wasn't like him to speak poorly of people, but it made me laugh.

"What happened to considering the tribe, showing compassion for their losses?" I asked, teasing him.

Carlisle was silent, and I worried I had crossed a line. "I saw the pictures of her," he said grimly. "They should be ashamed."

I agreed, but probably for more selfish reasons than my father. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said, ending the call. I hesitantly closed the sliding door to Bella's apartment and scaled down the side of the building. I needed to hunt, I needed to return to Port Angeles...I needed to remove my grip from the building's bricks.

A familiar thought pattern sent me scurrying to my car, as I caught sight of Bella's neighbor, the woman I'd seen in Bella's apartment, approaching the building. She was deep in thought about visiting Bella the next day in jail, reviewing the things she needed to do and cursing to herself that she couldn't bring anything into the jail with her. My heart warmed to this friend of Bella's, but there was no way to safely introduce myself, not without Bella first introducing us. I realized, I desperately wanted to become close to Bella, close enough that she introduced me to her friends. At what point I'd turned into such a sap, I wasn't sure.

The next morning found me perched atop one of the buildings across from the courthouse. I'd fed and changed clothes to occupy myself, but truthfully there was nothing to do but wait. Within hours, my family arrived.

"Thanks for dressing up," Jasper cracked, taking in my disheveled appearance. "Were you outside all night?"

"No." Just all morning.

Carlisle smiled, and patted the seats next to him on one of the benches by the street. "Sit, you two." He glanced at the sky and nodded. "At least the sun stayed in," he observed. Or we'd all be cooped up together in one of our cars, avoiding it. He nudged me in the chest and pointed across the street. "Chief Swan."

Charlie had parked in front of the courthouse, in his cruiser, which was undoubtedly a misuse of the municipal vehicle. It made me smile.

"Came to see his girl," Jasper drawled, watching him.

The chief smoothed out his hair and mustache, before leaving the vehicle to make his way up the steps. "He's happy to see her," I said.

"You don't have to read his mind to know that," Carlisle said quietly.

Half an hour passed until someone else showed up, and I fought the growl that was taking root somewhere in my chest.

Jasper snickered and sat up straighter. "Well, well, well, I do believe that is Jacob Black."

I shushed him and focused in on Jacob's thoughts. "He's worried because she doesn't know he's coming. There are images..." Women I didn't know, with Jacob's dark coloring. "He was there." I went to stand, but Carlisle pulled me back. I could see Bella, and the child. "He called the police." I saw Bella, on the ground, as he checked to see if she was alive.

As if one of us had called to him, Jacob stilled on the steps and turned, eventually finding where the three of us sat.

"Don't make a move," Carlisle warned. He nodded at Jacob, who in turn scowled. It looked as if he wanted to approach us, but decided against it. "He's alone. I don't think it's who we are, but what we are."

"We're here to help her," I argued, watching Jacob enter the courthouse.

"Notice it's just him," Jasper pointed out. "I doubt anyone else knows he's here," he speculated.

"He's coming back out," I said, waving them off and scanning Jacob's thoughts. "He wasn't on her list." I tried not to smirk and failed. "She didn't put him on her list!"

Jasper snickered, and Carlisle elbowed him. "And he looks real happy about it."

Not one part of me felt bad for him, as he stomped back down the courthouse steps. Jasper was right, Jacob was furious. He was about to turn when someone called out his name. It was Bella's neighbor from Seattle.

"Jacob Black!" she yelled, marching up to him.

"She's poking the hornet's nest," Jasper said coolly, rising to his feet. We all did then, worried about the girl.

"How dare you?" she asked angrily, stopping in front of him. "How could you even think...?" Her tears fell, and I didn't think she was the type to openly confront someone like she was.

"Angela-"

"Bella, Jacob. It's Bella." She tried to wipe her face and calm down. "She would never...in a million years..." she sobbed. Jacob reached for Angela, but she stepped back.

"She won't even see me," Jacob said sadly. It was genuine, I hated to admit. He was as despondent as Angela. "I didn't...it's not what you think."

Angela stared up at him and sighed, her breath catching. "I'm truly sorry for your loss, Jacob," she said sincerely. "I am. Please...please give my condolences to Sam and Emily." She hurried away from him then, up the steps and inside.

My father and brother-in-law turned to look at me as we sat down in unison. "He's...sad." I shook my head and watched Jacob walk away. "Not just about not being able to see her."

"Interesting," Carlisle mused. "I can understand, being torn."

Leave it to Carlisle. "Really? You'd sacrifice one of us, for the greater good?" I asked skeptically.

"Probably not," he admitted.

Jasper snorted. "Y'all are forgetting, she's not technically one of them."

Carlisle rose and brushed off his pants. "Given what Bella means to Edward, I already consider her family. I wouldn't sacrifice her." He glanced at both of us. "I'd make it work."

Jasper raised his eyebrows, but remained silent. "Given what she means?" I asked.

My father looked at me kindly. "She means enough that you've taken up her defense, without having known her."

"But so has Jasper," I protested, though I wasn't sure why I did. Besides, Carlisle had asked it of us.

"I have a girl," Jasper chimed in, adjusting his unnecessary sunglasses.

"Are you going in?" Carlisle asked, changing the subject.

"Soon." Not until the end of visiting hours. I didn't want to encroach on the others' time. I'd also rather see Bella alone.

Jasper stood also, gesturing to the space around us. "Who knew about all this? All these humans...with their quiet desperation? And here I thought it was just Edward."

"Shut it," I growled.

Carlisle laughed and threw his arm around my brother's shoulders. "Despite having been human yourself," he joked. "Shall we?"

I watched them go, smiling to myself. Both Jasper and I had somewhat come out of our respective shells, living together away from the others. I was grateful for it and had to wonder if Jasper was, too. While I knew he struggled, more than any of us, with his hunger for human blood, he was more relaxed, out from under the watch of so many vampires. So was I.

I entered the courthouse with fifteen minutes left for visitors, though, technically, I wasn't restricted to the designated hours. I waited behind Angela, who was gathering her personal effects. She politely smiled at me and moved aside so I could empty my pockets, and I couldn't resist talking to her.

"Edward Cullen," I said, extending my hand. "I'm one of Bella's lawyers."

Her eyes grew wide, and she surprised me by hugging me. "Thankyou so much for taking her case!" she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, I'm Angela. I'm a friend of Bella's." She beamed at me, her eyes welling up. "Charlie said...just, thankyou."

"I haven't done anything," I said honestly. The state had botched this one all on their own.

Angela shook her head and sniffed. "She's...she believes in you. She's so...calm, despite everything. I thought she'd be...she was so close to them. On the rez," she sniffed.

I nodded, wishing I had more time to delve into this with her. Not for the case, but to learn more about Bella's relationship with the wolves...and Jacob. "I saw Jacob outside earlier," I ventured.

Her face clouded over. "How he could even think Bella would do anything like this." I was cleared to go in, and she grabbed my hand. "Thankyou for helping her, Edward."

I'd met few humans, as sincere as Angela. "It's my pleasure, really." Bella was fortunate to have a friend, as kind as she was.

"I'll see you soon," I promised, hoping that would be true. Never before had I particularly cared for the company of humans, but maybe it was just those who knew Bella. Angela nodded and waved as she left.

Only Bella and her father were in the visitation room, as the women and men were segregated. Eric had mentioned only one other female inmate, and I supposed she didn't have visitors. Or perhaps the jail kept the maximum security inmates segregated, as well.

My approach of their table was interrupted by two guards, who announced that Bella would be returning to her cell. Both she and the chief nodded in confusion, while Bella struggled to her feet.

"Chief?" I asked. I managed to wave to Bella, when she glanced over her shoulder one last time.

He checked his watch before looking at me. "Edward. Guess they're cutting it short," he grumbled. "Did Yorkie get a hold of you today? He must have called me ten times."

"Eric did?" I followed Charlie out to get my phone back. "I don't know, I'll check." He had, multiple times. Multiple texts.

"Jesus Christ, Edward!" Eric yelled, once I called him. "I filed, and they heard it. They're doing it, they're letting her go!"

"What are you talking about, Eric?" I demanded. Charlie paused at the tone of my voice.

"I filed a request for dismissal, last night, after the ME's report was released. It was a long shot, but I was just so pissed off. How can they hold her, if it wasn't a homicide? Where the hell have you been, I called you all night! The judge heard it today. We got it!"

"Holy shit, Eric." Holy fucking shit. "Charlie," I whispered, grabbing at his sleeve.

"I didn't call him yet," Eric said breathlessly. "Wait, where are you?"

"At court-"

"Meet me out front!"

"What the hell is going on?" Charlie demanded.

"It's Bella," I said, staring at my phone. "She's free."


	7. Chapter 7

Hostile Witness

"...so I figured, fuck it, I'm filing it. I mean, really, what the hell, it's murder one, they have no witnesses, no evidence, certainly no confession..." Eric was manic, pacing in front of Charlie and me. "Plus, arraignment's only two days away...but you know what?" He looked at us crazily. "They were wrong! They were fucking wrong to do it!" It was why he became a defense attorney in the first place. "And the judge agreed," he added, his voice cracking.

"I'm sorry you couldn't reach me," I said lamely.

He shook his head. "No, it's okay. I might have let you talk me out of it. You got me thinking about it in the first place, when you said the judge would drop it. I was so far ahead, worrying about the trial...I believed you, I still believe you were right. That's what gave me the idea...why not just ask for a dismissal? Why wait? Why should Bella spend one more goddamn minute in there? Once the ME's report came out...God, that pissed me off." He sat down on the step and put his head in his hands.

Charlie was strangely quiet, staring at the front doors to the courthouse. Occasionally his lips twitched, but I didn't think he trusted himself to speak. "Thank you, Eric," he finally managed.

Eric nodded but didn't look up. "I can't believe it happened in the first place," came his muffled reply.

"I'm going to wait inside," Charlie said gruffly. He was deeply conflicted. That a system to which he'd dedicated his life, could harm his daughter...he wasn't handling it well.

"I need a new job," Eric whined, and I laughed. "You know this isn't over?" he asked, peering up at me.

"She'll be brought back in for questioning, I know."

"Do you know what she plans to say?"

I looked down at him and raised my eyebrow. "Do you really want to know who attacked them?"

Eric slowly raised his head. "Someday, I'd like Bella to tell me. When she's ready."

We waited inside for another few hours, for Bella's release to be processed. In the meantime, I called both Jasper and Carlisle to let them know. "Where are you taking her?" I asked Charlie, pocketing my phone.

"I've been thinking about that," he said grimly. "Once word gets out she's been released, I don't know that she'll get any peace at my place. Her place is out, since she'll need someone to look after her for awhile." In his mind, Forks was a little too close to La Push, and the Quileute reservation, and Seattle was too far away. "Hell, if this takes any longer, I'm not sure we'll even get her out of here before the reporters start showing up out front."

I hadn't considered any of it. "I have a place," I said without thinking. "It's here, outside the city."

"With your folks?" Charlie wasn't as surprised or upset as I'd thought he'd be with the suggestion, and Eric actually thought it was a good idea.

"Uh, no. With Jasper and my sister. They're married." As if that mattered, since I was leaving out the most important part of my family's make-up.

Eric nodded vigorously. "Either there or a hotel. She's not going to be safe anywhere else for the time being."

"My father would like to help. He's offered to look after her...medically. It's close enough for you to check in on her, too." I wasn't sure what the hell had gotten into me, but I was going with it.

We were interrupted by the opening of the jail corridor's door, signalling Bella's arrival. She shuffled slowly through, wearing baggy sweatpants and a large t-shirt and holding a bag that looked too heavy for her. She paused to lean against the wall to steady herself, and the three of us were on her in an instant.

"Sorry," she croaked, and Charlie grabbed the bag while I grabbed her.

As gingerly as I could, I lifted her up to carry her, surprised that she didn't object. "Follow me," I said, and led us out through one of the street exits. Her scent was killing me, almost as much as the feel of her body against mine was. I set her upright on the sidewalk next to my car and looked to the chief expectantly.

"Bells, honey, where do you want to go?" he asked. We watched as she mentally went through her options, as we had earlier.

"I don't know," she said tearfully.

"Edward's got a place near here. Carlisle said he can come and see you. No one will know where you are."

Bella nodded slowly at her father and looked to me. "Okay," she whispered. She started swaying again on her feet, and I helped her into my car. Charlie waved us off, and I promised to call him later.

I wasn't prepared to be in such a small space with her, and I was never more grateful for the short commute. Hopefully she wouldn't notice my lack of breathing.

"They made me sit...on this plastic chair...for the last two hours," she said breathlessly.

I finally realized, it was pain that was making her weak. "Bella, should I take you to the hospital?"

"God, no," she groaned. "I just need a decent bed. I haven't really slept..." Her voice trailed off, and I caught her leaning into the window. She looked paler than usual, and she was sweating.

"Are you sure?" She hadn't felt especially warm when I held her.

She nodded and swallowed. "Thankyou for doing this. Thankyou for getting me out."

"That was Eric, I'm afraid. I can't take the credit," I admitted. I pulled in front of my house and helped her out. "I'm going to carry you again," I warned, and she nodded.

I shouldn't have been surprised, that Alice had prepared for Bella's arrival. A note on the back of the front door, informed me that there was a bed, in my room, made up for Bella, and medication for her in the bathroom.

Bella moaned, I think in pleasure, when I laid her down on my new bed, and I had to take a step back from her, practically choking on my own venom. She covered her face with her hands, to hide that she was crying, so I left to get her something for the pain.

"Here," I said softly, handing her the pills. "Courtesy of Carlisle." I helped her sit up to drink, and I was amazed that I could touch her so freely, that she would let me.

"It's so quiet here," she said after awhile. Her breathing had evened out, so I assumed the pills were starting to work. I sat on the floor, with my back to the bed, listening.

"It is," I agreed. To a human. All I could hear, was her.

"Thankyou, Edward." Her hand grazed my hair, the back of my head, resting softly on my shoulder as she fell asleep.

I didn't move for the next few hours that she slept, until her breathing picked up, signalling me she would soon be awake. My parents had texted several times, and I was expecting them to show up at any minute.

"Edward?" Bella sounded panicked, and I realized I had forgotten to turn on any of the lights while she slept.

"Sorry," I said. "I'm right here." I turned on the nearest lamp and sat back on the floor, this time facing her. She looked somewhat better.

Bella nodded and slowly pushed herself up against the headboard. "Those pills...they helped."

"Carlisle said to give you both at first, but now we can stagger them. He thinks they should have given you muscle relaxers..." I was babbling like a fool. "Anyway, he said to save those for when you wanted to sleep." I could hear my parents car coming down the driveway and I slowly stood up. "My dad should be here soon to check you out, if that's okay."

Bella stared at me and blinked. "Yeah. Sure." She rubbed her eyes and glanced around the room. "Is there a bathroom?"

"Oh, yeah, here," I said, helping her to stand up. "Sorry, I'm an idiot. Can you walk?" I'd be more than happy to carry her, all day if necessary.

"I'm good, thanks."

I followed her shuffling gait as I heard my parents enter the house. "I think my mom and dad are here."

"I'll be out in a minute," she said, closing the bathroom door in my face. I met my parents ascending the stairs.

"She's in the bathroom," I explained.

Esme pecked me on the cheek and brushed past me. "I brought her some things..."

Carlisle and I both listened as she tentatively knocked on the bathroom door and called Bella's name. We could both hear, that Bella was crying. The sound of Esme's voice, trying to soothe her, was soon drowned out by the sound of water. "She'll take care of her, Edward," Carlisle said, leading me back downstairs.

For nearly an hour they were up there, talking softly. The bath had drained, and I wondered what the hell they could be doing. "Carlisle," we heard Esme call.

"Time to see my patient," he said hopping up.

Bella was back on the edge of the bed, hair washed, dressed in pajamas. "I'm clean," she said simply, smiling at my mother.

"Shall we wrap you back up?" Carlisle offered. "Edward, why don't you and your mother bring up some of the food we brought-"

"He can stay." We all looked at Bella, and she stared right back, serious. "He's seen it." She stood and took an unsteady step away from the bed and began to unbutton her top.

Carlisle stepped in behind her and raised his eyebrows at me. "Whenever you're ready, dear."

I stood in front of her, averting my eyes as she handed me her top and reached for my forearms for balance. Every now and then she winced, or sucked in a breath, as my father gently probed her injuries before wrapping her back up. At one point she slowly gathered her hair up for him, exposing herself to me, and I finally had to close my eyes.

"Done," Carlisle declared. "Are there stitches...?" he asked, examining the back of her head.

"Something itches back there," she mumbled, sliding back into her top. She had to brace herself against my chest as he tried to take a closer look. Her hands were hot, and I had to turn my head away to avoid the overpowering scent of her coming from her damp hair.

"I can take those out in a week or so. Alright, I'm done." He gathered his things from the bed and discarded the old bandage. "I'd like to see you every day, Bella. And of course, should you start feeling worse, instead of better, call me immediately."

Esme entered then with a tray. "Do you like Chinese, Bella?" There was soup, and rice, some noodle thing...it smelled terrible, but Bella's eyes lit up. "And another pill, doctor's orders," Esme said, winking.

"Oh, God," Bella groaned, tasting the food. "Thankyou so much," she added sincerely.

My parents had taken seats on my couch, so I perched reluctantly on the end of the bed. "Is it good?" I asked.

Bella weakly laughed and winced, bracing her side. "Ow, ow, ow." She waited to catch her breath before going on. "You should see the look on your face. Do you not like Chinese?"

"Uh, no." We watched her eat, while she took turns studying each of us.

"No one else hungry?" she asked quietly.

"We ate," Esme said pleasantly. "You enjoy."

Bella finished nearly everything on the tray before pushing it away. "Thankyou very much for that. It was wonderful."

I grabbed the tray and handed it to my mother. "Our pleasure."

"We should go," Esme said, patting my father's knee. She was afraid of overwhelming Bella, though she wanted to stay. "We'll be by tomorrow," she said, looking to Bella for approval.

They both stood, and my father cleared his throat. "Walking is good, Bella, but I think Edward should be with you. Especially with the meds. Try to keep it to one floor for a few days, okay?"

Bella's eyes were teary as she nodded. "Thanks."

I saw my parents out to their car. "Why does she keep crying?" I asked.

"She's appreciative, Edward," Carlisle replied, holding open the car door for my mother. "I can't imagine how it's been, recuperating in a jail cell with the extent of her injuries." He slammed the door harder than he intended. "Sorry, dear."

"But she seems upset when we do something nice." It was confusing.

"She should have been hospitalized, son. She should have been protected by her friends, not imprisoned. And I imagine, she feels, she should have saved that little boy."

He was right. "I'm amazed she's willing to trust us."

Carlisle looked at me thoughtfully. "I'm not sure she does. At some point," he said, staring at me, "it's going to come up."

I stared down the driveway long after they left. Carlisle was warning me, but he'd given me no indication of the right thing to do. Bella was human, and we were not. I thought he was also trying to tell me, that she deserved honesty, and kindness, both of which I was prepared to give her.

The question was, would she accept them?


	8. Chapter 8

Hostile Witness

The days immediately following Bella's release were quiet. No one knew where she was, or cared, and that didn't seem to bother her. She slept so much, I wondered if it were normal, but Carlisle constantly assured me it was appropriate.

My parents visited daily for the first few days, and I would slip out to hunt. I didn't need to, I had rapidly become desensitized to Bella's scent. But my physical desire for her body, and not for her blood, only increased. I had no idea what to do about it, but it couldn't hurt to drown my sorrows in animal blood. I had relieved myself so many times in my own shower, I got a hard-on every time I passed a bathroom.

Most mornings and evenings, when she wasn't passed out from the pain medication or her injuries, we sat in her room. The bag she'd carried from the jail held the books I'd arranged for her, so she read, while I pretended to. I would sit on the floor, waiting, until she would read herself to sleep, at which point I'd crawl up next to her, revelling in her warmth. If she suspected, she never let on. I already knew, Bella was very accomplished, at keeping things to herself.

"Do you think we could go downstairs today?" Her low voice startled me, thrilling me as it always did, and I hopped to my feet.

"Sure. If you feel up to it, I'm sure it would be okay." I stood back, ready to offer my assistance, watching.

She eased herself from the bed and grabbed my hand, steadying herself once she was upright. "I talked to Angela this morning."

Which I already knew. Bella had finally asked for some of her personal belongings, including her phone. I couldn't help it, that I could hear everything.

She let go of my hand and slowly walked to the bathroom, leaving the door ajar. It was the first time, she hadn't shut it behind her. "She's bringing some of my stuff to your office today," she called out. Her head appeared through the doorway, her toothbrush sticking out of her mouth. "Is that okay?" she asked. "I figured it was a safe place for her..."

I nodded, and took out my phone to text Jasper. "Just tell me when, Jasper can meet her."

Bella nodded and ducked back into the bathroom. "She's bringing me clothes." There was hopefulness in her voice, maybe even some happiness, and it made me smile. "And my computer." She shuffled back into the bedroom and stopped in front of me. "I've been ignoring things for too long," she said, examining me. There was no other word for it, the way she was studying me.

"Everything okay?" I forced, ignoring the squeak in my voice.

"Yeah." She stared for a few more seconds before hiking her thumb over her shoulder. "Can you help me with the stairs?"

I could, but in the end, she didn't need it. Instead I hovered like a nervous parent, sure that each stair would send her plummeting to the bottom. Luckily, Bella walked carefully in front of me, missing my antics entirely.

"Your house is beautiful, Edward," she exclaimed. She wandered through the rooms, examining everything, touching. I quickly realized I was trailing her like a puppy and went to the kitchen to get her some food.

I found her in the living room. "Thanks," she said, as I set the plate and glass in front of her. She picked up half the sandwich and offered it to me.

"I'm good, thanks." I hated egg salad, and everything else, as far as I knew. "How are you feeling?"

Bella nodded and swallowed. "Good. My ribs only really hurt when I twist the wrong way. The back of my leg is still tender, though."

I caught her staring at the darkened fireplace and grimaced. "Are you cold?" The house was big, and I was certainly not equipped to gauge the temperature of it.

"I'm fine."

"Uh huh." That was her answer for everything. I went to the fireplace and looked inside. It was a gas one, but we'd never lit it, for obvious reasons.

"Is the flue open?" she asked.

I could feel air from outside, and see natural light coming in. "Yep." I flicked the starter from the outside and watched as it roared to life. Who knew? I put the glass carefully back in place and took a seat next to her. "How's that?"

"It's nice...thanks."

I couldn't describe, just then, how happy pleasing her made me. I was devoted to my family, but this was different. "Are you...close to many people?" I asked.

Bella snorted, and set down her empty plate. "I used to be, I suppose." She shook her head and ran her hands through her hair. "I live by myself. Before that, I lived with Charlie." She looked at me then. "Do I seem stand-offish?" she asked honestly, and I had to wonder, if that were how she saw herself.

"No, not at all. I guess I just wondered..." I knew what I was wondering, but I also knew, I wouldn't handle it well if she said there was someone in her life, who made her feel the way I felt about her. "I can't imagine someone...not being attached to you."

Her eyes widened, and her heart rate jumped. "Oh...you mean, like a boyfriend?"

It was exactly what I meant, only in my mind, I'd envisioned someone touching her, invading her body. "It's none of my business."

"Don't you think you'd know, if I were involved with someone?" she asked incredulously. "Wouldn't I be with them, right now?" I felt her hand under my chin, turning my face toward hers. "Only a couple of people came to see me in jail, Edward, aside from my lawyers."

"Jacob came," I said softly.

"That's what my dad said." She pulled her hand back to her lap. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Is that why you didn't want to see him?"

"I wasn't ready to see him," she said. Bella pulled the small pillow from behind her and laid it on my lap. Her head soon followed and she settled in, pushing the fingers on both her hands under my thigh. "I'm still not."

Christ, I couldn't think straight. Looking for something to do, and trying to ignore that her head was in my lap, I grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and covered her with it. I had never been this close to a human woman, until her. Humans, consciously or not, shied away from us. It was in their natures, just as it was in ours, to lure them closer.

Bella, though, had no qualms about being close to me. She touched me at will, she openly watched me. I had seen her, half-naked, several times now, at her request. Not once had I smelled the adrenaline of fear on her, or heard her body react in preparation to flee. It was heady to think, that maybe she also wanted to be around me.

We stayed like that, while she dozed, and eventually, I couldn't help but put my hands on her. Her hair had been a constant fascination for me, and it felt better that I had imagined. It was longer than my mother's, or my sister's, and of course, it smelled like her.

Bella stirred, and I quickly disentangled my fingers. She slowly pushed herself upright and yawned. "Can you wrap me back up, if I take a shower?" I'd watched enough times to know that I could, so I nodded.

I followed her upstairs, and waited on the bed while she bathed. I got up once the water shut off, expecting her to come out, but instead, she opened the door and waved me in. Her arms were across her naked chest, and she had somehow knotted her wet hair on top of her head.

"Thanks for doing this." Bella was facing the mirror, so I nodded at her foggy reflection, and moved to stand behind her. Her pajama bottoms were on, but nothing else.

"I'm too tall..." I murmured, so I kneeled on the floor behind her and took the bandage from the counter. My father always started from the top, so I did the same, and Bella automatically raised her arms and bent them over the top of her head. I had only stood in front of her during this, and I wasn't sure what was worse, avoiding staring at her breasts from the front, or feeling her ass occasionally brush against my chest, from the back. It was fucking torture, either way.

Her hands suddenly stilled mine. "Tighter, I think."

I stifled a groan and adjusted the bandage, undoing and redoing what I'd just done. "Better?"

She took a few deep breaths and nodded. "Yeah."

Sooner than I'd have liked, I was finished. When neither of us moved, I rested my hands on her hips, and gently pressed my forehead against her lower back. Bella was aroused, I could smell it, and I wasn't sure how I was going to let her go.

Her hands held onto mine, and she twisted in my grip to face me, cradling my head between her hips, against her stomach. "Edward," she said softly, and I nodded, unwilling to face her, or her naked breasts. "We have to talk...I have to...I need to talk to you, and your family."

One of her hands was in my hair, and the other slipped through the opening at the back of my neck, to rest under my shirt. "You have no idea, how good that feels," I moaned.

"I think I do," she said gently. Somewhere in my bedroom, her phone went off, and she released me. "That's Angela."

I slumped to the floor and listened to their conversation, anything to distract me from going to her and taking her. Hearing her talk to her friend, and imagining the harm I could inflict on her eventually calmed the hunger inside me. She was speaking of her apartment, and ending her lease, which Angela sadly agreed she would probably have to do. A weight landed on my chest, as I realized Bella was talking about leaving, moving on in the face of what had happened. Was this why she had stopped us in the bathroom, before anything could start?

She ended her phone call and waited patiently in my bedroom for me. "Angela can meet him at six," she offered, once I reappeared.

I took out my phone and nodded. "Okay."

"Edward." I reluctantly looked up at her. "Can your parents come, too?"

Something inside me didn't like where this was going, but I nodded again, unable to deny any request she made of me. "They'll all be here at seven," I said, pocketing my phone. We would all gather, so that she could say her goodbyes.

"Is this your room?"

"Yeah." I sank onto the leather couch that usually served as my bed, and stared at the ceiling.

"Lots of music."

"There is," I agreed.

Bella came closer, to sit near me, but not too near me, I noticed. "Is the piano downstairs yours?"

"Yes."

She sighed and leaned back to stare, as well. "Are you going to sulk until everyone gets here?"

What? "I'm not sulking, am I?" I asked. I knew I could be moody, but Bella made me quite happy, which was why the idea of losing her was ripping me apart. "I'm not good at saying goodbye," I admitted. Well, I'd never had to, but so far, I wasn't handling it very well.

"Are you leaving?" she asked. Her tone was so abrupt, I looked at her, surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"No! Why are you crying?"

"Why are you talking about saying goodbye?"

I was confused. "Aren't you leaving?"

Bella looked as if I had slapped her, before her face paled. She tried a few times, to answer me. "You want me to go? I mean, you're ready for me to..." She looked around, confused. "Okay..."

Wait. Wait a fucking minute. "Bella...do you want to leave? Leave here?" Leave me, was what I was really asking.

"I don't," she admitted.

"Let's start over...are you asking my family to come over, so you can thank them, or whatever, and say goodbye?"

"No! I mean, I should thank them-"

I covered her mouth to stop her. "I'm not going anywhere, either."

"Oh."

I nodded. "I should apologize. I overheard you talking to Angela, about leaving your apartment. I assumed...I shouldn't have assumed."

"I thought maybe you were ready for me to go...to have your life back," she said. "Look, I'm a terrible liar." I, unfortunately, was not. "I don't know what's going to happen, but I need...I just need to talk. To all of you. At the same time."

I nodded, having no idea what the hell she was talking about. "Okay."

"Okay." She came closer to me, slowly, raising my arm around her to lay her head on my chest. "Is this...?"

It was. More than anything. I didn't want my life back, not if Bella wouldn't be in it. Seven o'clock couldn't come fast enough.


	9. Chapter 9

Hostile Witness

Jasper arrived first, with Bella's things in tow. "Just the two bags," he said, watching as Bella tore into one of them.

"Thankyou so much," she said excitedly, pulling out her laptop and a handful of clothes. "I'm going to change..." she said, taking off for the bathroom.

"Her friend Angela is very nice," he said casually. "They've known each other since high school." I could see her in his mind, her face full of concern as she handed over Bella's suitcases.

"I met her once in the courthouse," I replied, sitting next to him at the kitchen island. Bella's laptop was in front of me, and I idly traced the stickers on it. "She hugged me."

Jasper chuckled. "Yeah, I think she wanted to hug me, but thought better of it." Of all of us, even our giant of a brother, Emmett, Jasper was the most...off-putting. Ironic, given his gift of empathy. Maybe the two were related.

Bella came back from the bathroom, and Jasper laughed again at the immediate change in my disposition. It wasn't my fault, it was the first time I was truly seeing the shape of her body.

"I look like I'm hiding a bulletproof vest under my shirt," she joked, poking at the slight swell of the bandage around her midsection.

Hardly. It looked like she wasn't wearing a bra, or underwear beneath her dark leggings. Gone were the baggy pajamas, and I couldn't have been happier about it, of which Jasper was well aware.

"Feel better?" he asked, smirking.

She nodded and carefully climbed onto the stool opposite us. "Thanks again," she repeated, and Jasper nodded. "How's Alice?"

"Excellent." He glanced at me, and then back to Bella. "She's very...excited...to meet you," he added drily. I could imagine.

"She's not coming tonight?" Bella asked.

My brother-in-law shook his head. "Not this time. But she wants you to know, that we all speak for her, especially him," he said, pointing to me. "Whatever that means."

Bella was trying to subtly stretch her arms, or maybe her back, and nodded. "Do you need something?" I asked, jumping up.

"Do you have anything normal for pain? Like, not the stuff Carlisle gave me?"

I didn't know, and looked at Jasper. Did we? "I can look." I took a step toward the kitchen cabinets and froze. Where did people keep those types of things? "Uhhh..." I opened random cabinets, surprised by the volume of food and kitchen objects Alice had packed into them. I had been using the same plates and glasses for Bella, and took the food I needed from the refrigerator, explicitly following Esme's meticulous instructions.

"I think I might have a bottle of something in the bathroom," Jasper volunteered. He would know, he'd been here when his wife planted everything. He slid from his seat and disappeared, flicking on lights as he went. I'd been living with vampires for too long, I realized.

He was back within the minute, studying the bottle in his hand. "I'm never sure how to open one of these," he said, cracking off the lid. "Oops." He handed it to Bella and smiled.

"Thanks," she said, eyeing him.

I did manage to remember she would need something to drink, and brought her a glass of water. Jasper was thinking how it had only been a few years, that we'd been in college, and how much we'd quickly forgotten about living amongst humans since we'd graduated. I agreed. No wonder our parents had enrolled us in high school so often.

"I think I can take three of these," she wondered aloud, reading the label. She looked at us, and we shrugged. "Maybe I'll just wait to ask your dad." She sighed at the both of us, and took two of the pills.

We didn't have long to wait, as I heard my father's car in the driveway. "Showtime," Jasper said lowly, to me only, and sauntered into the living room.

"My parents are here," I said, offering Bella my hand. She swallowed and smoothed down her shirt, quietly following me.

"Bella," my mother said warmly, handing my father her coat and taking a box from him. "You look better each day! These are for you."

Whatever was in the box smelled familiar, but terrible. "You made cookies?" Bella asked in disbelief.

"Hopefully I got them right." Esme looked nervously at me. "It's been awhile since I baked." Jasper snickered.

Bella's moan caught everyone's attention, especially mine. "They're perfect," she declared, her mouth full of cookie. She closed her eyes while she chewed, eventually opening them to find us staring at her. Her blush was immediate. "Sorry. Here," she said, shoving them onto the coffee table. "I forgot to share." She brushed the crumbs from her clothes and wiped her mouth. "So good. Thankyou, Esme."

My mother was practically bursting with happiness, but managed to simply pat Bella on the back. "My pleasure."

"You look more rested," my father said seriously, looking Bella over. "How's the pain?"

Bella's face scrunched up, and I grabbed the bottle from kitchen and handed it to him. "She took two of these."

Carlisle nodded, and shook out two more. "Just a couple of times a day. Take the other ones on top of it, if they don't work. You won't heal, if you're suffering every day."

"When can I stop wrapping my ribs?" she asked.

"How long has it been?"

"Ten days ago, today," I answered automatically. Not that I'd been counting.

"Give it another a week, and then try leaving yourself unwrapped for a few hours at a time. See how it feels. You broke two clean through." He was thinking how lucky Bella was, that she hadn't done any damage to her organs. "The other two are fractured."

"How did you know that?" Bella asked.

"Broken ribs feel different on palpation," he answered smoothly. I had no idea if this were true, but he sounded believable. Bella simply nodded and swallowed the pills. Dry. Ugh. "They won't fully knit together for at least six weeks. It's a long recovery, I'm afraid," he added sympathetically.

"It doesn't hurt to breathe anymore," she said optimistically.

"Oh, sweetie." My mother couldn't take it anymore, and hugged her, gently. Bella sniffed and sat back down in one of the armchairs, instead of the sofa, away from everyone. We all guessed that was our cue, and also sat, my parents on the couch, while I leaned against the fireplace. The entire surround, and wall, was warmer from the fire, and I had to admit it felt good.

"I guess I missed the funeral," Bella said sadly.

She had. Her father, who had been to see her twice, had mentioned it one evening as I walked him to his car. It bothered him deeply not to have gone, and he hadn't known how to bring it up with his daughter.

"It was a few days ago," I said, unsure if she would be angry that I hadn't told her.

"I figured it was coming up."

Jasper was fascinated. "Would you have gone?"

Bella looked at him and shook her head. "No." It was frustrating, not knowing what she thought about it. "Do you know Emily Uley?" she asked Carlisle, surprising him.

"In passing," Carlisle replied. He wondered, as did my mother, why that was important.

"You've seen her?" Bella clarified, and he nodded. Her hands fidgeted in her lap, until she clasped them together tightly. "There's something I'd like to talk to you all about," she started. "A few things." She looked to each of us, her eyes finally landing on me. "I don't know how you'll all take it..." Bella faltered then, and her eyes welled up. "But I owe it to you."

"Bella-" my father said.

"You don't owe us anything," my mother added.

"I knew you wouldn't see it that way," she said, chuckling and wiping her eyes. "You're too nice." She took a deep breath, steeling herself, before going on. "I wasn't supposed to be there that day." How many stories started that way? I unconsciously shifted, and Jasper warned me stay calm. "Jacob called me in a panic, to see if I could watch Will. He knew I was at my dad's."

"Will was their son?" Jasper asked. I was glad to find out he knew even less than I did about the stupid tribe.

Bella nodded and sniffed. "I knew him well enough to watch him." She struggled not to cry, about the boy, I assumed. "He was really sweet," she said, her voice cracking. I caught sight of my father reaching for my mother's hand. "Sorry." She wiped her face with her sleeve and cleared her throat. "The sitter cancelled, whatever. I was more than happy to do it."

"Do you remember what happened that afternoon?" Carlisle asked gently.

"I do," she answered. What she said next, surprised the hell out of me. "I think we all know what happened, don't we?" I didn't think it possible, to leave all of us speechless, but she had. Jasper reacted first, and not how I would have expected.

"Miss Swan, I believe you would have made an excellent military strategist," he said, laughing.

I looked to my parents, whose thoughts were leaving the entire discussion in my hands. Great. "What do you mean?" I ask carefully. "We weren't there."

"But you knew...you knew what I'd seen."

I remembered the conversation at the courthouse, when I'd decided to show her my hand, in hopes she would trust me. "I guessed."

"Does everyone here know?" What she wanted to know, were we all in this together?

"Everyone here does, yes," I said, stalling for time, waiting for my family to silently give me their approval to continue this bizarre discussion.

"If they didn't," Bella went on, "it wouldn't be my place, to repeat the story." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Did she know? And was she saying, she wouldn't tell? I was pretty sure that was her point. Where had this woman come from?

Jasper couldn't hold it in any longer, and he laughed loudly. "Damn, you're smart!"

"Jasper!" Esme chided. Not for swearing, but for interrupting Bella. "Go on, dear."

Carlisle spoke, instead. "Bella," he said thoughtfully. "We're prepared to hear whatever it is, you'd like us to hear. We're...open," he said, looking to each of us, "to learning what you know. Nothing would ever leave this room."

It was the answer she needed, and the tension visibly left her body. "I'll tell you what I know, first. Then I'd like to tell you what I believe. I just want you to understand, I wouldn't be saying anything..."

"We understand," Jasper said, waving her on.

"We were in the yard."

All of us felt she could skip that part, we'd seen the photos. "Bella, honey," Esme said.

Bella swallowed again and nodded. "Right, you're right." She looked at me and blew out a breath. "It was Leah."

"How could you tell?" I asked.

She looked confused. "What do you mean? It was her. She walked into the yard."

"As a wolf?" I ventured.

"No! She...she was watching us, and Will saw her. She started to walk to us, and just..."

"You watched her phase?" Carlisle asked.

"If that's what it's called. I didn't know what was going on, I just grabbed Will..." Her voice fell off as she tried again not to cry.

"You never saw one of them phase?" Jasper asked.

"I didn't even know they could!" she spit out, angry now. "I had no fucking idea! One minute I'm playing with him, the next we're both flying through the air..."

Bella never knew. She never knew they were wolves. I went to her, but she held up her hand. "You've seen Emily?" she asked, wildly looking at my father. "They're scars, aren't they?"

"Probably," he admitted, and an image of a woman, pretty, with deep scars running the length of side of her face and neck, into her shirt, her smile distorted.

"I can't see them, Edward," she pleaded. "Look what happened to her. Look at Will! How could I have told anyone? What would I have said? How could they let me go to jail...?" That was the source of her pain, I thought. More than her injuries, possibly more than the death of the little boy...she wasn't a part of them, they hadn't trusted her. But ultimately, she hadn't betrayed them. Even now, if pressed, none of us could actually say, that Bella had revealed the Quileute's as shapeshifters.

Esme rose, and kneeled next to Bella's chair. "You can trust us, I promise."

"Why don't you tell us what you believe," Jasper suggested. It was interesting. He was more interested in relieving her of her burdens, than worried whether or not she knew what we were.

Bella looked around the room again, almost smiling at us. It wasn't pity, it was kindness. I slowly inched forward again, almost as close as my mother, and sat near her feet.

"It's funny...Jacob told me a story once. A myth..."

Carlisle laughed internally at that, the revelation that the wolves were the ones, to tell our secret to an outsider.

"What do you want me to say?" Bella asked honestly. "You two..." she said, gesturing to Esme and me. "I can't hear your heartbeats. You've both held me, more than once. And neither of you," she said, including Carlisle, "are possibly old enough to have adult children. I've touched all of you, and your skin...it's freezing."

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"No, it's okay." It was? "It's you. It's all of you. I tried, every chance I could, to see if you'd feel different. You know you're like this, right? You've seen yourselves?" she asked, worried about insulting us. "None of you look like anything I've ever seen...except each other." Bella leaned around me to see Jasper. "You're the worst at hiding it."

He just grinned. "I've been sloppy, I'll admit." He was admitting a lot more, at that moment.

"You could all be related, I guess. But how could you all have the same colored eyes? I remember you, Carlisle, from the ER. But it wasn't until I saw all of you, together. You're vampires," she said firmly. "Right?" We all looked at each other before nodding in unison. "Thank God!" she exclaimed. "I thought I was crazy."

"Bella," I said carefully. "Why doesn't that frighten you?"

"Why would that frighten me? I've been here for days, you haven't tried to kill me." I thought she was joking, but she was far from it. She was actually becoming angry. "You've been nothing but kind to me, all of you. Should I be frightened?" I realized she was thinking of the wolves, and how they had turned on her. "Have you all been lying?" she asked, tearfully, looking straight at me.

Esme took her hand. "No, we haven't. Obviously, we didn't reveal ourselves, but we do care for you."

"She should know what we eat," Jasper said.

"Animal blood," I blurted. Smooth, so smooth.

Carlisle cleared his throat and shot me a look. "We abstain from human blood, Bella. It's a choice we've made, as a family."

Bella was wide-eyed. "So you do drink blood."

"Not from humans," I assured her.

"Not anymore," Jasper cracked. He slowly stood up and stretched. "What else is on your mind, Bella? Why the need to come clean?" He must have felt something from her, that the rest of us couldn't detect. "How long have you know what we are?"

I hissed at him, startling Bella. His words sounded like a threat, and some part of me, reacted. "Does it matter?"

"I think Jasper's point is," Carlisle said, trying to diffuse the tension, "why have this discussion? What did you need to come of this?"

I understood what he was asking, even Jasper's comment, to a degree. Much as I would have hated it, Bella could have simply stayed until she was well enough to leave, probably avoiding us for the rest of her life. My chest was crushed again at the thought of losing her, even hypothetically.

"I want you to know you can trust me."

"Why?" Jasper shot back.

"I feel like...I feel like every day I'm here, I'm using you," she admitted. I didn't understand, nor did Esme. "I'm safe here. I like it." Her head hung in shame as she covered her face. "I feel like I'm treating you like they treated me. I haven't been honest."

"Neither have we," Jasper pointed out.

"I know," she said, nodding. "But would any of you betray me?" she asked, looking up.

It was an impossible question. Would I? No. But could I speak for my family? Nothing like Bella had ever come up.

Bella pushed herself up from the chair. "That's why I needed to talk to you." She glanced down at Esme and smiled. "Thankyou for taking care of me," she stuttered, no longer hiding her tears. She made her way between us to leave the room, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Carlisle!" Esme pleaded. She was in agony, much as I was.

"Is she who you want, Edward?" Jasper demanded.

"Yes." I did. At the risk of losing all of them, there was no question of it.

"Alright," Carlisle said, hugging his wife. "You better go get her, before she tries to walk all the way back to Forks."

Jasper smiled and shook his head. "Did you hear how she phrased that little speech?" he asked, as Esme and Carlisle dragged him from the house. "He's got his hands full..."

I raced up the stairs and froze outside my own bedroom door. I had no idea, what I would say. My family had given me the green light. Bella was now one of us. Not exactly the same as feeling safe, or staying because she liked it. But we'd never abandon her. The weight of that, of what my family had just done for me...I took a step back and leaned against the wall.

There were rules for vampires, and while we hadn't revealed ourselves, we had admitted, to a human, what we were. Technically, she had guessed it for herself, which was almost as bad as telling her. It meant we had failed to successfully stay hidden. Not only that, we'd left Bella alive with the knowledge.

Jesus Christ, what had we gotten her into?


	10. Chapter 10

Hostile Witness

"Alice?" I hissed into my phone.

"Where are you?" she asked.

I was still outside the door, unsure of what to say, or do. "I was about to talk to her," I confessed.

"Listen, I haven't wanted to pester you-"

"So why are you calling me now?" I asked, cutting her off.

"Don't be an ass. I just wanted to point something out. I feel like...I'm not sure, but I felt like I should call."

I immediately felt bad. Alice didn't ask to see the future, and it certainly wasn't something she could control. We'd always been close, I thought, in part, because whenever her visions came to her, they were automatically shared with me. Her gift was often mine, and I knew, at times, it eased her burden. But now that this was my future...

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "Go ahead." It's not like I had any idea how to approach Bella. I seemed to be attached to the wall outside my bedroom.

"She's...good."

That was it? "Okay..."

"No, I mean like you. She's good...a good girl," she said, sounding happy with her description. "She will always do the right thing."

How the fuck I was going to apply that to anything I might say to Bella, I hadn't a clue. "Alice..."

"No, seriously. Look at what happened to her. She's a...protector. At her own expense. Selfless! She could have ratted them out. She should have ratted them out! Jasper said, she was upset that she felt she had used us. So she confessed, to a roomful of vampires...who gives a shit about vampires?" she exclaimed.

"So she values honesty..." I started, trying to piece together whatever the hell point my sister was trying to make.

"I'd say above anything," Alice agreed.

"And she's inclined to value loyalty, and she'll put those in whom she trusts, in front of herself..." Not that it had gotten her far with the wolves.

"Yes, yes!" I could hear Alice clapping her hands. "I heard she's very smart, too. Remind you of anyone?"

"She's..." I didn't know what to say.

"Oh, Edward," Alice sighed. "I know. Just...be honest, okay? I feel so strongly about this."

"I don't want her to go, but if she wants to..."

"If you don't want her to go, then tell her that," she said firmly. "That's what I'm trying to say. None of your, no, no, it's okay, I'll just sit here in the corner by myself..."

"I do not do that!" I protested.

"You do! And apparently, so does she. The two of you together, I swear!"

That was it, right there. "I got it." I wanted that, the two of us together. "Thanks."

Bella didn't answer when I knocked, so I slowly opened the door. The room was dark, and she raised herself where she was laying on the bed. "Hey." Her voice was hoarse from crying.

"Hey." I sat on the floor, where I usually did, and leaned my head back. "Did the pills work?"

"Not as good as your dad's," she admitted.

"Do you have a fever?" The bed cover was warm under my head, too warm to be normal.

Bella laughed. "I found an electric blanket in the closet. I take it, it's not yours," she joked. "Do you mind...?" The light next to us went on. "I guess you could see me okay?"

I could see her, she was all I could see. "Yeah."

"I feel bad, like you've had to hide, in your own house-"

"Don't." It probably came out sharper than I intended. "I haven't done one thing, since meeting you, that I didn't want to do." Shit, that wasn't completely true. "Well...except leaving you each time at the jail." This honesty thing was going to kill me. "I didn't want to do that."

I could hear her swallow, and her hand as it scratched the blanket, just behind my head. "I came up here with every intention of grabbing my stuff..." she began. My head dipped further toward my chest, fearful of what was to come. "I thought maybe I could go to my dad's," she went on. "I'm pretty sure I'll have to give up my apartment."

I tried hard to listen, but found myself shaking my head. "I don't want you to leave." There was more to it than that. "I want you to stay." Christ, this was hard. "I want you to stay with me."

Bella rolled onto her side rested her hand on the back of my neck. "Edward," she said softly.

Honest, Alice warned, honest, honest..."There are some things I should tell you." That was an understatement. Where would I begin? I read minds, except for hers. I ate animals, though she already knew that. I jerked off to images of her bruised, naked body in my shower. That one would probably have to wait. "I don't sleep," I blurted.

Her hand, which had moved onto the hair at my neck, stopped. "Wow, really?"

"Yep." If only I could remember what I had said.

"All I've done is sleep," she mused. "I know everyone felt bad about me being in jail, but to be honest, I don't remember most of it. I was passed out..."

From the pain, I finished for her. "I suppose that's something," I said lamely.

"What else?" she asked.

"I can't go out in the sunlight," I offered.

Bella tensed, and I wondered why that would upset her. "Will it kill you?"

That made me laugh. Kill me. "No, sorry! I'm not laughing at you. No, it's the way light reflects off our skin. If you think we look different now...everyone would know if we stepped out into the sunlight. It's very noticeable." Her fingers traced along the curve of my neck, and I unintentionally purred.

"Sorry," she whispered, jerking her hand back.

"No, no! You can touch me!" God, please. "I like it."

Moments passed, until she sighed and rolled onto her back. "Why aren't you...with anyone?"

I almost corrected her, that was with someone. Her. "I've never really been interested, before," I said carefully. "What about you?" I turned to see her, leaning on the bed as I did. Bella's eyes were closed, so I could watch her, her arms above her on the pillow.

"I guess..." She took a few breaths. "I tend to be on the serious side of things."

"Relationships are serious," I agreed. Especially the ones that mated you for life.

"I know." She opened her eyes and looked at me. "But you've been like this," she said, gesturing toward me, "for a while, haven't you?"

"Since 1918."

Her eyes briefly widened. "Wow."

There was something I wondered, that she had said to all of us downstairs. "Were you ever afraid?"

"Of you?" she asked, and I nodded. "No. I'm still not."

"But the wolves-"

"They attacked me, Edward. They killed Will."

There was no point in avoiding this. "I've killed, Bella," I admitted.

She covered her face with both her hands. "I can't help that I'm not afraid of you. I don't know what you want me to say. Maybe you shouldn't have gotten involved, if you're trying to warn me." She rolled away from me then. "Don't tell me you want me to stay, if you want me to go."

I hadn't realized that was what I was doing, but she was right. Hurting her would destroy me, but so would letting her go. I wondered if doing what I wanted to do, was what Alice had meant by being honest. Because I was doing it. "Bella," I said softly. I turned out the light and slid onto the bed behind her. "Christ, this blanket is warm!"

"You have no idea, how cold this house is," Bella said, laughing. "This thing is heaven!"

I curled behind her, mirroring her without touching. "I used to lay here, while you slept." If that didn't send her running...

"I know." She reached back, for my hand, dragging my arm across her. "The pillow smelled like you."

I inched, so slowly, closer, until she was flush against me, our bodies still separated by the bedcovers. "I never asked, I'm sorry-"

"How can you possibly think you'll hurt me?" she asked sleepily.

How could anyone have hurt her? She was right, though, I never would. It was something I needed to hear. "Sleep," I whispered in her ear. I'd watched her fall to sleep many times over the past week, it was something I'd never tire of. Holding her while she did so, was even better.

"Stay," she mumbled.

Always.


	11. Chapter 11

Hostile Witness

"You turned on the heat."

I set a plate of eggs on the kitchen island and turned back to the counter. I had cooked, too, but I supposed that was obvious. "The thermostat's in the living room, if it's still too cold."

I could hear Bella sit on one of the stools. "It's fine," she said, the sound of her fork scraping the plate as she poked at the food in front of her. "Thankyou for breakfast."

She was wearing a sweatshirt, the one I'd pilfered from her apartment. Hopefully she thought Angela had packed it with her things. "How are you feeling?" I asked.

Bella shrugged and dug out two pills from her pocket. "I think I still need these." She watched as I took a seat across from her and waved her hand in front of her mouth after she took another bite of her food. "Hot."

I reached behind me for the glass of juice I had poured when I heard her coming down the stairs. "Here," I said, sliding it toward her, and she nodded and drank. "It took a few tries, but I think I may have learned how to make breakfast." A few tries, indeed. There was a garbage bag full of my burnt attempts in the garage.

"It's perfect," she swore, and I couldn't help but smile. For all the years I had rolled my eyes at my family and their doting on each other, I could only hope they would be kind to me in return, though I doubted it. "I'd like to go to my apartment today," she said.

My eyes immediately went to the window, to assess the cloud cover. "Okay."

"I could ask my dad to take me."

"Oh." Would she rather go with her father? "I could take you." She continued to stare at her plate. "What were you planning to do there?" Maybe having her father there would be more helpful to her. "Bella?" She glanced at me, and then to the window. "Why are you crying?" I asked gently, leaving my seat to stand next to her.

"I don't know what to do," she said helplessly. She looked up at me, and I slowly wiped the tears spilling onto her cheeks.

"Would talking to your father help?" I offered.

Her head tilted slightly back and forth, as if she were weighing the idea of it. "Maybe...probably not." She finally leaned against me, allowing me to put my arms around her.

I had an idea. "Let me take you," I started, and she nodded into my chest. "But I want to bring someone else along." Not for me, but for her. Without thinking I kissed the top of Bella's head and released her to make a phone call.

"Edward?" my mother answered on the first ring.

"Hey. Feel like making a trip to Seattle today?" I slipped into the living room, eyeballing Bella from there.

"I can be there in half an hour. Is she okay?" Esme asked worriedly.

"I think she needs..." It felt odd to to say it. "I think she needs a mom." Bella had one, I was sure, but I had no idea how to approach that. I heard my mother sniff. "Is everything alright there? Did I call at a bad time?"

Esme was silent for a moment. "You're a kind man, sweetheart. I'll see you soon."

I stared at the phone in my hand, fairly certain I would never understand women, vampire or human. Why was everyone crying? I went back to the kitchen and started gathering the dishes. "Can you be ready in half an hour?" I asked, filling the sink with water. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew used dishes had to be washed. Visions of my mother, my human mother, in the kitchen came to me. "My mother always smelled like soap," I commented, pouring some into the water. I was about to go on, when I felt Bella's arms reach around me from behind, and I almost dropped the bottle.

"Thankyou," she whispered, hugging me. I wasn't sure what to do, and she let me go to go back upstairs. I wondered if I had time to sneak away to the bathroom.

A short time later I heard Bella returning, so I waited by the front door. "You look nice," I said honestly. I wanted to touch the sweater she had put on, and her hair, which she'd tied back. All of her, really.

"So do you." We stared at each other stupidly for a minute. "So who's coming with us?" she asked.

I opened the front door and waved. "My mother," I said, gesturing for Bella to go ahead of me. "Is that okay?"

Bella smiled and squeezed my arm as she went past. "It's good." I grabbed a jacket by the door, Alice's, and followed. Bella carefully threaded her arms into and sniffed at the collar. "You all smell alike, but this doesn't smell like you," she observed. Some part of me roared to life, at the idea of her recognizing my scent, and I had to shake my head to clear it.

"It's Alice's," I said gruffly. My mother beamed at Bella from the driver's seat, and I opened the car door for her. It was probably best, anyway, that I sat in the back, where I could hide my lap from view. Jesus Christ.

The two of them chatted happily as we drove, while I openly stared at Bella's profile. Thank fucking God that Esme wasn't the one who could read minds, or she would have thrown me from the moving car. Which reminded me...

"I need to tell you about me and Alice," I said abruptly. Esme shot me a look in the rear-view mirror, before patting Bella on the knee.

"It's not as ominous as he's making it sound," she assured her.

Bella half turned, giving me the once over. "What about you and Alice?"

"Some vampires have gifts," Esme offered, giving me an in.

Bella's eyebrows raised, and I could swear, she glanced at my crotch. She was killing me. "I can read minds," I said simply. That wasn't so hard.

"What?" Bella asked, the tone of her voice stiffening my spine.

"I can hear the thoughts of others," I clarified.

"You're just telling me this now?"

Oh shit. "I can't hear yours," I hastily explained. "Your mind is silent. Kind of like your father's," I rambled on. "It's interesting-"

"Edward," Esme snipped.

Bella's posture indicated she still wasn't sure what to make of what I'd revealed. "You can hear everything that everyone's thinking?" she asked in disbelief. "Except mine?"

"And what they're seeing. Memories, fantasies..."

"But not mine?"

I shook my head. "It's nice." Most of the time.

"It must be a treat," Esme said encouragingly. "He's been stuck listening to us for decades!"

"Is it just you?" Bella asked me, but looked at my mother.

Esme mentally pushed me to go on. "Alice has visions..." I started.

"Of what?"

"The future." Bella's mouth had dropped open. "Oh, and Jasper's a bit of an empath. He can also manipulate the emotions of others around him."

"Has he done that to me?"

Had he? "I don't think so."

"What about Alice?" she demanded. Esme's eyes shot to mine again in the mirror. "Has she had visions about me?"

"It's her gift, not his," my mother said gently.

Bella turned back to her window. "Is that why I haven't met her?"

"Alice can't control them, sweetheart. She tries her best not to subject or influence anyone. Your path is your own."

"How can she stand it?" Bella wondered. "How can either of you stand it?"

"Not many would see it that way," Esme commented, causing Bella's head to whip around. "It's a fairly large responsibility they both have."

I was used to it, and so was my sister. Still, it was nice to hear Esme's praise. "It's not so bad," I lied, wishing for this part of the conversation to be over.

Bella looked back at me. "Really? People say the stupidest things, I can only imagine what they're thinking!"

"Mostly sex." The prettiest blush swept across her face, and I laughed loudly.

"Don't embarrass her!" Esme chastised. "Go ahead and think rude thoughts about him, Bella. He'll never know," she joked.

I was too busy imagining the sexual thoughts she might have about me to be offended. Did she fantasize about what I'd do to her, or what she'd like to do to me? The idea that she possibly wanted to do things to me was beyond my comprehension. These were things I could think about all day, things I had thought about all day, for many days.

"You can park anywhere along here," Bella said, pointing in front of her apartment building.

The gentleman at the front desk of her building did a double take as we entered and rushed over clutching a handful of papers. "Miss Swan!" They both seemed happy to see each other, and he gave her an awkward hug before we entered the elevator.

"Bella, may I?" Esme asked, gently taking the papers from her. Esme figured they were messages, and that all of them were probably not kind. "I'd be happy to sort these for you, while you tend to your things."

Bella nodded, but she was distracted as we passed Angela's apartment. "She's not in there," I said, making a mental scan of it.

"Edward, you don't have to..." She stopped herself to unlock her door. "You don't have to do that for me," she said, looking at my forehead. "It's not fair to ask you..."

"It's okay."

Bella nodded and stepped inside, holding the door for us. "I apologize ahead of time, Esme. I haven't been home in a while, it might be a mess," she said sheepishly.

"Nonsense, it's lovely," my mother assured her. "Oh! I forgot! I brought suitcases!" She was out of the apartment before I could offer to get them, leaving the two of us standing there.

I realized, at some point, I'd have to come clean about having been in Bella's apartment. I followed her through the hallway, to her bedroom. "It's a nice place," I offered.

She snorted and attempted to straighten her bedcovers before sitting down. "Have a seat." I took the chair at her desk and pretended to look at her photos. "You've been here before, haven't you?" she asked.

Shit. "How did you know?"

"I wear that sweatshirt to bed every night. There's no way it could have smelled so much like you, unless you'd taken it from here. A while ago." She wasn't mad, though.

"I'm sorry. I was only here the one time." Well, the second time, I wasn't actually in her apartment. "I took it by accident."

"Why?"

I stood up and moved to her bookcases. "It was the night I first met you. I...I came here without thinking. The shirt was all I had of you."

"You didn't even know me."

I smirked and turned to face her. "I guess that was the point of coming here." Bella closed her eyes and took some deeper breaths. "It hurts?" I guessed.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come."

My mother purposely bustled into the apartment, making all kinds of noise. "I'm back," she called. She popped into view in the doorway and smiled. "So..." She eyed Bella and her smile faded. "You don't know where to start." Bella shook her head, and Esme sat next to her on the bed. "Okay. Well, you can imagine, we've had to up and leave a few times over the years," she started. "The first question is, can you stay?"

"No," Bella admitted. "I don't want to, either. I don't want to be...infamous."

"Alright. Second, do you have what you need?"

"I think so." Angela must have done a fairly thorough job in packing Bella's things.

"Then, if you have the luxury of time, which you do...do you have what you want?"

Bella looked around her room. "There are a few things I could take."

Esme gently grasped Bella's hand. "I can help you with the rest. I can have this apartment packed up and stored within a few days. Let me help." I had the feeling, were it anyone but my mother, Bella would have balked. I patted myself on the back for being smart enough to bring her with us.

"Let's do it, then," I suggested. "I think Bella needs to get back home." If she wasn't having too much pain, then the pills would make her sleepy anyway.

"Right," Esme agreed, standing. "Show me what to-"

"You left out something," Bella said quietly. "Where am I going?"

Esme nodded thoughtfully, while I tried not to panic. "Good point. First question, is there somewhere safe you can go?"

I felt Bella's eyes on me, but I couldn't look. "Yes."

"Does it have what you need?" my mother went on.

If I had a working heart, it would be beating up out of my throat. "I think so," Bella answered.

Finally, I found my voice. "Does it have what you want?" I managed.

"It does," she said, smiling at me, when I met her eyes. "And I'm taking it."


	12. Chapter 12

Hostile Witness

Jasper and I watched, as Bella sat with her father in the yard behind the house.

"Have I told you his mind is almost as quiet as hers?" I asked.

"Huh," he grunted. "Like a familial thing?"

"Maybe." They were talking quietly, but from the glances Bella was throwing toward the house, I figured she knew we could hear them. I wanted to give them privacy, but it was getting increasingly difficult to leave her from my sight. "I don't like being apart from her."

Jasper smacked me on the back before hopping up onto the island. "It gets easier," he promised. "In a few decades."

I thought of Bella and me, thirty years into the future. "Jasper-"

"Jesus Christ, calm down! I don't miss your anxiety, that's for certain," he huffed.

"She won't...what if she...?" Thirty years? We hadn't even kissed! Would she consent to staying with me, knowing for her, time would go on, while I would be stuck, looking like a seventeen year old?

"All I'm gonna say, is that she's as deep into this as you are."

I narrowed my eyes at him, zeroing in on his thoughts. "What do you know?"

"I'm only repeating what Alice said," he said defensively. "Not that she had to tell me anything." He looked back out the window. "I've seen the way she looks at you, Edward. I know how she feels."

I decided to drop it. "She wants to confront the tribe," I said, changing the subject.

"I hear."

Jasper liked the idea about as much as I did. "He wants to, too." Although Charlie's motives were different. He wanted an apology, she wanted an explanation. Both of them were pissed. "I don't want her amongst them."

"Depends on where they decide to meet. We can't exactly roll up on tribal land."

"She said she wants to do it before making her statement." Bella told me she planned on talking to the police soon, if they didn't come for her first. Only Charlie knew where she was, and he couldn't see them taking him in for obstruction. Even though he was itching for his department to try.

Jasper snorted. "She ought to nail them to the fucking wall, only she's too decent. They don't deserve the heads up."

The Chief helped his daughter to her feet, and I moved to open the door for them. "Starting to rain?" I asked.

"As usual," Charlie grumbled. He stared at Jasper and me for a moment. "What do you two think about all this?"

"In what regard?" I asked, stalling. Bella had smirked and was suddenly busy, looking through the refrigerator.

"I assume you'll go with her when she makes a statement." He knew he wouldn't be allowed anywhere near her when she went in.

"Of course." I'd go with Bella to use the toilet, if she'd let me.

Charlie crossed his arms and leaned against the counter behind him. "She wants to meet with them all, before that. Sam, Jacob..."

I nodded. "Bella mentioned that."

"I don't know that I could be in the same room..." Charlie said, his voice trailing off.

"Dad," Bella said softly.

Jasper decided to jump in. "I figure you want speak with the tribe, before you identify one of them as having been at the scene that afternoon," he started, and she nodded. "Out of a sense of obligation?" he asked.

"They know I'm out," she said. "I don't feel obligated, but I wouldn't feel right..." Bella stopped, at the looks on our faces. "I thought they'd want a chance..."

"A chance to rally round? To gather the troops before taking action?" Jasper offered. "Like they did for you?"

The Chief agreed with him, but I didn't like how Jasper had put it. And I didn't like the tears beginning to pool in Bella's eyes. "You're showing them more kindness than they've shown you," I tried to explain.

"I'm not them, that's the point," she said shakily. "I get what you're saying," she said, looking to my brother. "I'd like a chance to say my piece, as childish as that sounds."

"It's not childish at all, if that's why you need to see them," Jasper replied. "But I'm telling you from experience," he said, glancing at me, "that unless something has changed, I wouldn't expect their behavior to be any different from what it's been in the past."

Charlie roused himself from the counter and reached for her. "Come walk me out," he said gently. He nodded to both of us and led her from the room.

"They're not gonna say shit about shit," Jasper hissed. "Especially if her father's there."

I wasn't so sure. "We admitted it to her," I argued.

"Exactly. But none of us would kill your mate. None of us, Edward."

"You think the wolves will kill her?" I asked incredulously.

Jasper shook his head. "I really don't know how they operate. They certainly didn't come to her rescue. I'm kind of interested in what they'll do to Leah."

Or already had done. "I suppose they must have some sort of system, or rules..."

"Banished or dead," he speculated. "I'd go with dead."

"That's if they know it was her. What if Bella's the only one who knows who did it?" Jacob had been the one to call the police. He was the only one, who had tried to visit Bella in jail. "I'm going to guess, that Jacob Black knows what happened."

"They all must know," Jasper scoffed. "They're a fucking tribe!" I often forgot, the time era from which Jasper had come, and the likelihood that he'd known and fought Native Americans. "On top of that, they're shapeshifters. I don't think it gets more specialized than that."

"How about vegetarian vampires?"

"Oh, shut the fuck up, you know what I'm saying. Bella going to see them is a bad idea. They have plenty to hide and a tendency to attack her."

We obviously hadn't paid attention that she had re-entered the kitchen. "I only really want to see Jacob," she said quietly.

I'd liked to have said that didn't bother me. That I wasn't turning into a possessive, jealous...whatever I was to her. "No." I'd liked to have not said that, in particular.

"Not alone, he meant," Jasper added quickly.

Bella was fuming. "Is that a condition of staying here? Of accepting your hospitality? That I can't do what I want?"

The thing about Jasper, he loved to argue. "It's not. Nothing about any of this is conditional, Bella, but you'll have to decide, either you're in or you're out. If you're in, please realize, that in this family, none of us always get what we want."

Bella opened her mouth to reply, but he held up his hand. "No one asked for any of this, darlin', but it's what we got."

"If this were you-" she countered.

"I'd have already killed them." Jasper walked closer to her. "That's what makes you a better person than I am." It wasn't really much of a compliment, but it was the truth. Both parts of it.

"What happened was wrong."

Jasper raised his eyebrow suggestively. "Would you like them to pay for it?" I would, and I knew he'd be happy to help.

"That won't make it right," she said angrily.

"You're not going to be able to play both sides of the coin on this one. Talking to them doesn't change a damn thing, and hanging out with them doesn't work for your boyfriend over there," he said, pointing to me. "Anything happens to you...we're obligated to retaliate."

"You're threatening me?" she asked. "I should feel guilty?"

Jasper had had it. "I'm asking you to not throw gas on the fire. All of us answer to bigger authorities. This might be one you have to chalk up as experience, instead of getting your say."

"I think she gets it, Major," I said drily. Jasper snickered and made to leave.

"Wait," Bella yelped, throwing her arm out in front of him. "Someday..." She cleared her throat and went on. "At some point I'd like to talk to Jacob." Jasper nodded. "If you think you could make that happen, I'd be grateful. Whatever the terms."

He was impressed. "It'll happen." He was about to leave and paused. "I hope you'll make your statement, regardless."

"He's not questioning your loyalty," I tried to explain once Jasper had left.

Bella laughed humorlessly. "Just reminding me with whom it should lie."

That wasn't quite it. "No, not-"

She shrugged her shoulders and blew out a breath. "I'm not sure I like it," she said seriously, leaving the room.

I was going to fucking kill my brother-in-law. I heard her go upstairs and turn on the water, while I almost cracked my phone, pulling it out.

"Edward," Alice's voice piped out through the phone. "Calm down!"

"What the fuck, Alice? She's upstairs, probably packing her things as we speak!" Bella wasn't, but my sister didn't need to know that.

"She's leaving?"

"Why would she stay, with Jasper going all dictator on her?" I fumed. "Like we haven't pulled his ass out of something time and time again! Why must she live by such high standards?" The way she'd given into him by the end of the conversation wasn't sitting well with me, either.

"What would you have done, Edward, if you were her? If we asked you to consider the rest of us in your decision?"

"I would have, of course." I had, many times.

Alice sighed. "So how is it any different, if he asks it of her? Bella doesn't know what's at stake. Despite nearly being killed, she still wants to set things right. She's new to all this."

"That's my point! She needs time, she's not a vampire." Or a wolf, thank God.

"And that's his point. What would happen to you, if something happened to her? I know Jasper's thought of it."

Well that stopped me in my tracks. Jasper had pointed out to Bella, how I wouldn't handle her hanging out with the tribe very well. If she were killed? "Shit."

"Look, I don't know what he said, but you know how he gets."

I rubbed my face with my free hand. "I'm sorry I called him a dictator."

"Oh stop. I better go before he gets here. Did I tell you I'm helping Esme pack up the rest of Bella's things tomorrow? Should we take them someplace else, since she's leaving?"

"Shut up." I hung up on her laughter and flew upstairs. "Bella?" I asked, tapping on the bathroom door.

"You can come in," she said sadly. She sat on the closed lid of the toilet, staring forlornly at the full tub. "I can't get in by myself."

"Do you want some help?"

She nodded and slowly stood to remove her robe. "I'm sorry you have to do this."

I wasn't. I averted my eyes as she stepped over the edge, holding onto my forearms. I leaned down with her, until she could drop to her knees before sitting down. "Let me know-"

"Can you stay?" she asked.

"Sure." I sunk to the floor opposite the tub and leaned against the cabinets. "How's it feel?"

"Warm," she said sleepily. "I hate how tired I feel all the time."

"I haven't had a bath in ages. We swim sometimes..." I watched as she dragged her hand along the bubbles. "How'd you make those?" I asked.

"Your shampoo." She pinched her nose and dropped below the surface. I desperately wanted to climb in with her and wondered if maybe I should hunt. She sputtered back up, and I handed her a washcloth. "Don't be mad at Jasper," she said finally.

"I'm not..." I sighed. "I'm not mad at him."

"Your fingers left indents on the counter." Bella closed her eyes and laid back against the tub. "I didn't mean that I didn't like being with you all...or with you."

"I worried you might be up here packing," I admitted.

"I'm so sorry," she said, her voice cracking. "I wouldn't...I have no intention of leaving." I was speechless. "I'm just not sure."

"About what?" I ventured.

"I don't...fit in."

What was she talking about? She fit in, she fit me. "You fit in, Bella." Damn Jasper, making everything about us and them. "My family-"

"I'm human."

So she had thought about it. Whatever this was we'd been dancing around, she'd thought about it. Instead of worrying, though, I was elated. "But you want to be with me?" Where I got the nerve to blurt it out, I'd never know.

"I do."

"I want you," I said honestly. Christ, what was I saying? "I mean, I want to be..." I gave up, too happy to care. "I want this. I want us." And I wanted her, boy, did I want her, but judging from her red cheeks, I think she understood that. "God, I love your blush," I whispered.

Bella sank lower into the tub, submerging part of her face, and I laughed. "Suddenly I'm self-conscious."

"I could take my clothes off, too," I offered.

"Stop!" she shrieked, before dunking her head again.

Who knew it would feel like this, finding someone, having their acceptance. I wondered if that's how she felt, and I waited until she came back up. "Bella?"

She spit the bubbles away and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah?"

"It's good, right? This," I said, gesturing between us.

Her eyes softened and she smiled. "It is."


	13. Chapter 13

Hostile Witness

"Detective Michael Newton, Detective Tyler Crowley." The blond one readjusted the recorder in the center of the table before nodding at Bella and me. "Interviewing Isabella Swan," he went on, smiling blandly. "Also present, attorney of record, Edward Cullen." I supposed the lack of enthusiasm was directed at me.

It was a gamble, me being there, having my voice and image recorded. Jasper had coached me where to sit, to best avoid the camera, and insisted I wear glasses, much to Bella's amusement. I would have never, however, allowed her to face this alone. Besides, Jasper and I were more than capable of relieving the department of this record in the future.

"Let's start with the afternoon of the attack, Bella. As best as you can remember." That was the dark haired one, Crowley. He knew Bella, they both did, and to their credit, they wanted to hear her side of the story. "What placed you at the Uley's that afternoon?"

Bella retold her story, of Jake's phone call, of agreeing to babysit at the last minute. Detective Newton took notes, while the other one listened impassively. Occasionally an image would pass through his head, when Bella mentioned a name.

"Who else was at the Uley home, that afternoon?" Newton asked, looking up from his notes.

"Just me and Will," Bella answered, confused. "There wasn't anyone..."

I knew where they were going with this, and who had planted the idea in their heads. "Continue with your questions, please, Detectives. My client is still under medical care," I said, glancing at my watch, "and you have thirty more minutes."

They simultaneously leaned back in their chairs to stare at me, while Bella's hand slid to my knee under the table. "I fed Will lunch," she said smoothly. "We watched TV for a bit, but he wanted to go outside."

That piqued their interests, and random images of the grisly crime scene started flashing through their minds. "Go on," Detective Newton said.

Bella's breathing picked up, and I moved my hand over hers. "We went out back. It was wet, so we mostly stayed on the porch." She swallowed and glanced at me. "His ball..." Bella cleared her throat and straightened up in her chair. "His ball went over the railing, so I went to get it. I was going to toss it over to him, but he wasn't paying attention...he wasn't looking."

She stopped, and tears began to spill down her cheeks. "Tell them who he saw," I said softly.

"When you're ready, Bella," Detective Crowley said quietly. As much as I despised their department, these men truly didn't know who was behind the attack, and it was their primary focus. They were hanging on her every word.

Bella nodded and wiped her face with her sleeve. "He was looking at something. At someone."

"Who was it?" Newton asked.

"Leah Clearwater." She looked at me, and I couldn't help but smile. "At the end of the yard," she went on, her eyes still on mine.

"Were you expecting Ms. Clearwater?"

Bella shook her head. "No."

"What happened then?" Newton asked, scribbling furiously.

"Will started coming down the steps, and I went to pick him up."

Detective Crowley wasn't convinced. "Why would Ms. Clearwater be at the Uley's?"

"How would Bella know that?" I asked coldly.

Bella squeezed my hand. "She wouldn't, Tyler. Sorry...Detective. She wouldn't be there. That's why I went to get Will. She looked..."

Both Detectives looked at her. "How did she look?" Crowley asked.

"She was upset. Really upset."

"Did Leah say anything?" Newton asked.

"No. She was at the far end of the yard, but she started walking toward us."

Crowley slid back his chair and crossed his arms. "What did you say to her?"

Bella's face was one of disbelief. "Say to her? I didn't say anything! I grabbed Will and tried to get him inside."

Newton studied his notes and cleared his throat. "So, you were playing with Will, you saw Leah come onto the Uley's property, and you took him...?"

"We got up the first set of steps-"

"Where was Leah?" Crowley asked, interrupting her.

"She was behind us. I looked back, and she was...she was still there." I knew what Bella wasn't saying, that between steps, Leah had shifted. I could only imagine the terror Bella would have felt, fearing for her own life, and that of the child's. "I got to the second set, with Will...something hit us..."

"You're saying, Leah Clearwater attacked you and Will Uley?" Newton clarified.

"I was running into the house, Mike," Bella said hotly. "Leah was the only one in the yard, and the next thing I remember, I was in the hospital."

Neither of the Detectives were satisfied, and I had had enough. "Gentleman," I said, standing abruptly. "Time's up. Ms. Swan has told you what she remembers. Given her treatment following the attack, I'm sure you can appreciate the toll it's taken on her." I helped Bella to stand, glaring at the others.

Crowley stood and leaned on the table. "You're aware of your obligation to tell us everything pertaining to this case-"

Was he fucking kidding me? "Are you threatening her, Detective? Is my client being charged with obstruction? Have you questioned Ms. Clearwater? Perhaps the assistant DA could help you track her down?" Of all the ridiculous, fucked up-

"Edward," Bella said gently. "I've told you what I know, Tyler. You can contact my father, if you need to speak with me again." We slowly moved to the door, and the physical pain was evident in her movements. "I'll help however I can," she promised, looking to both of them.

Newton got up to open the door. "We'll be in touch, Bella. Take care," he said sincerely.

I was tempted to stay nearby, just to hear what else they had to say, but Bella pushed me along. "No eavesdropping," she said, wrapping her arm around my waist as we walked. "It's only going to piss you off."

"I'll get the car," I grumbled, leaving her on the steps of the station.

"Edward."

I turned, and she gestured for me to come back. "What?" I asked impatiently.

Bella was a couple of steps above me, and slowly she reached for me, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Thanks." Her lips brushed against my cheek before hugging me tightly, forcing the fight right out of me.

"Sorry," I breathed. God, she felt good, all of her, pressed against me. "Sorry."

"It's okay." She pulled back, kissing me again. "I didn't do this, and I've told them what I know. That's as good as it's going to get."

I nodded into her shoulder and sighed. Her hands traced over my back to comfort me, and I could have stood there all day.

"You're purring again," she chuckled.

"I suppose that's better than growling." I quickly retrieved the car and helped her in. "You have no idea, how badly I'd like to just drive you away," I admitted.

Bella said nothing, but rested her hand on my forearm while I drove. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted back against the seat, and I spent more time staring at her, than I did at the road. Back at the house, I made sure she took something for her pain, and left her to rest while I called my brother.

"She's starting to sound like you," I told him, as soon as he answered.

"Do tell."

"They believe Leah was there, but they don't see how she could have done it alone."

Jasper was silent for a minute. "Was Leah new to them?"

"Yeah."

"You didn't pick up any other suspects?"

I hadn't. "They were very focused on Bella. And they were very determined not to fuck it up."

"Too late," Jasper quipped. "Well...you know they'll be talking to Leah. I don't think there's much more we have to do. If they need her again, you'll know it. I think this might be as good as it's going to get."

I laughed. "That's what Bella said."

"See? She and I are gonna get along just fine." There was noise on his end, which I knew to be my sister. "Alice says she's real proud of you."

"Tell her I said thanks, mom."

"She says, fuck you." Jasper cackled and hung up.

I found Bella on her side in bed, reading, and slipped in behind her. "I thought you'd be asleep."

"I called my dad, and then I was waiting for you," she sighed. "Come closer."

I was happy to, molding my body to hers and burying my face in her hair. The warmth from the ever present electric blanket magnified her scent, and the burning I often felt in my throat around her was intense. "I think I should feed," I whispered. "Like, now." Before I sank everything I had into her, and not just my teeth.

"Sorry," she mumbled, and I knew she was moments away from falling asleep.

"I won't be long," I promised. I left through the window of my room, staying close enough that I could hear her if she needed me. Within thirty minutes I was back, pressed up against her again, as if I'd never left. While I knew how to handle my thirst, I had no idea how to handle my desire. I mean, I knew, but there were only so many times I could...handle myself...before I was going to want her to do it. I already did want her to do it.

Carlisle would have advice, I was sure. Could I even take things as far as I wanted to? I knew female vampires, who took human lovers, but their was little danger to them, on the receiving end, from their encounters.

There was no way I'd risk physically harming Bella that way. But honestly, I couldn't picture our relationship not eventually involving sex. Sex that didn't harm, or even kill, her. Bella moaned in her sleep, and my hips instinctively jerked against her ass. It was heavenly, and I tried not to imagine that movement while being inside her. "Fuck," I ground out.

Her humanity was going to be the death of me, and I only saw one way around it.


	14. Chapter 14

Hostile Witness

Though I'd heard Bella coming down the stairs and into the kitchen, I was still unnerved by her frank stare when I turned to face her. "Hey," I said, somewhat startled. The plate of food in my hand wobbled imperceptibly, at least to a human.

Bella nodded and smiled. She'd slept poorly the night before, giving me plenty of chances to ease her back to sleep with my touch. "Is that for me?" she asked.

I nodded, though the question seemed... "Are you okay?" I placed the plate on the island between us and sat opposite her.

"Uh huh." She dragged the food toward her and sighed. "You spoil me, Edward."

"You may want to taste it first," I warned. It had gone far better than my previous attempts in that the food didn't appear burnt, though it still smelled like shit to me. Worse than shit, actually.

"I can cook, you know," she said between bites. "You don't have-"

"I don't mind," I said seriously, and she nodded.

Bella cleared her plate and took it to the sink to rinse it, before putting it into the dishwasher. "Hey, do you think I could ask Carlisle about these stitches?" she asked, gesturing to the back of her head.

"He was planning to come over tonight anyway," I told her. I'd texted him earlier, asking to speak privately with him. "He'll do it."

"Is he...is Carlisle like, the head, or whatever...?" Bella made a circling motion with her hand.

"The leader of our coven?" I finished for her. "I'd say so, though he'd probably consider himself the head of a family. Our family," I added. I wasn't sure how much detail to go into, though I'd gladly tell her anything.

"Jasper made it sound more...democratic."

"It is. We've been together for awhile." I supposed we'd worked out the kinks.

"Have you ever...has there ever been anyone...like me?" she asked carefully.

"Do you mean, human?" I clarified, and she nodded. I wasn't sure what she was asking. "We were all human, Bella."

"No, I realize that," she said, frustrated. "Were you all vampires when you met?"

"Oh. No, sorry, now I get it. No, after me, Carlisle turned Esme, and then Rose found Emmett, so she asked Carlisle to turn him-"

"Why?" Bella asked abruptly.

"They were already...dying."

"Like you were?"

"Yeah. It's more complicated than that. I mean, Carlisle wanted Esme, and Rose wanted Emmett...it wasn't taken lightly." I noticed I'd conveniently left out Rose's turning, something she'd never taken lightly at all.

"So none of you asked for it?"

I laughed. "God, no. I don't think anyone would actually..." The look on her face stopped me, mid-sentence. "Bella?" I could see it happening, the pulling away and into herself. I'd known she thought about it, and there I was, embarrassing her for having the thought, when I'd done nothing but think about it myself. "Hey-"

"I was just wondering," she said, trying to dismiss it.

"Sure," I said uneasily. Where the fuck was I supposed to go with that from there? Christ, I was inept. I really needed to talk with Carlisle.

Bella lifted her laptop from the counter and tried to smile. "I should probably try to contact my boss." She turned, mumbling a thanks for breakfast and quickly left.

I sat at the bottom of the steps and listened to the sound of her typing. It wasn't until I heard her blow her nose, that I realized she was also crying. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Without thinking, I was up the stairs and inside my bedroom.

"Jesus, Edward!" she gasped from where she sat on my couch, spilling her computer from her lap and grabbing her chest.

"Sorry, sorry," I said, not for startling her, but for so much more. I nudged aside the laptop at her feet and kneeled in front of her, between her knees. "Bella," I begged. She had said before she had no intentions of leaving, but I feared I had unintentionally just pushed her away.

Her eyes were huge, and so sad. "What were you wondering about? Tell me," I demanded.

"Nothing," she claimed. "I was just...I was curious if...it's okay, I understand," she said quickly. "I didn't know how anyone became a vampire, but you explained it."

I had? "I told you how my family was turned, not..." Did Bella think she had be dying, to be turned? "Jasper wasn't dying, and Alice...Alice doesn't know how she came to be a vampire. She doesn't remember it," I explained.

Bella nodded and swallowed. "Do they...do you...do you ever wish you weren't one?"

I unnecessarily let out a long breath and sat back on my heels. "Rose does," I admitted. "You haven't met her yet."

"What about you?" Bella asked carefully.

"There was a time," I started, "I...rebelled." It had taken almost ten years to come back to my new family and their way of life, but I had returned. "But no, I don't wish I weren't a vampire. Especially now."

Bella looked at me, before slowly extending her arms, and I gratefully found myself, laying in her embrace against her chest. I was even able to ignore the loud whoosh of blood with each beat of her heart, for the warmth and happiness I felt being so close to her. "I don't know how to do this," she said quietly, blinking back more tears. "I don't know how to choose..."

Could I tell her, that for me, for a vampire, it wasn't a choice? Humans were all about choice. "For Carlisle, and Rose, and even Alice and Jasper...it wasn't a choice." I pulled back to see her face. "Or for me." She frowned, so I went on. "When we meet...when a vampire finds the right..." God, 'mate' sounded ridiculous. "We just know."

"I think I know," she whispered.

"Me, too," I said, barely paying attention as I moved toward her mouth. It didn't feel calculated, or awkward. I'd never kissed anyone, not like this, but the way my lips felt against hers seemed the most natural thing I'd ever done. And fuck, when she breathed my name into my mouth...

"Shit!" I grunted, straightening up and pulling my grinding hips away from the edge of the couch. "Bella," I stammered. "I'm sorry, I'm just...I'm gonna..."

"Oh," she gasped, her hand flying to her neck. "Do you mean, you wanted to...bite me?"

"No!" I yelled, startling her. "No! I mean...sure, I always want to bite-"

Her face paled and she shrank further against the couch. "Sorry!"

Christ. "I'm not going to bite you," I ground out, unconsciously palming my crotch. I watched her eyes drop to my hand, and then watched the subsequent blush creep up her neck and face.

"Oh." Except this 'oh' was different.

"Yeah," I exhaled.

"Would that be a bad thing?"

I doubted that very much. "No," I said carefully. "That," I said, gesturing between us, "would not be a bad thing. Crushing you..." Or breaking her pelvis. Or ripping her-

"I get it," she said sadly.

I gently closed her legs, and rested my head on her knees. "It's not all I want from you, Bella." After all, I also wanted her blood, I thought to myself, cringing.

"Edward," she said softly. Her fingers were in my hair, scratching me lightly. "We'll go slow, okay?"

I nodded, but I also knew, no matter how slowly we went, there would still be a point at which we'd have to stop. "Okay," I mumbled.

"Would you rather...do you think it's better if we...should I, maybe, go?"

What? "Go where?" I said, raising my head. The look on her face worried the hell out of me. "You said you would stay." She'd said she had no intention of leaving.

"Okay-"

"You can't leave! Mates don't leave," I said, as if that should make sense to her.

"I don't-"

"Do you want to leave?" I demanded. It wasn't Bella's fault, but I was growing angry at the thought of her willingly parting from me.

"Edward!" she shouted, poking me in the chest. "Stop!"

I couldn't remember the last time someone had yelled at me like that. Aside from Rose. "Sorry." What was her original question? "No, I don't think you should go. It wouldn't be better."

"I want to stay," she said, emphasizing each word.

"Then don't talk about leaving," I said, mimicking her.

"Got it," she huffed, leaning back again.

"Maybe we should just kiss again," I suggested, and she laughed. "I'm not joking."

Bella smiled and held out her hands to be helped up. "I'm so tired," she said softly. "And tired of being tired." I watched her shuffle to the bed and crawl onto it. "And I want this off," she complained, tugging at the wrap around her middle.

"Here." I sat next to her and quickly undid it before she could protest. Carlisle said she should try at some point. "Lay down." Bella did so, mumbling something about me being 'bossy.' "On your stomach," I clarified.

That got me two raised eyebrows and a hard stare, but she did it. She fumbled under her pillow for something, and I felt the blanket underneath us begin to warm. "Why am I on my stomach?" she asked.

"So I can do this." I raised her shirt and began slowly touching her. "The bruising's almost gone," I said, quietly tracing the still visible discoloration.

Bella stretched and hugged her pillow. "That feels so nice," she breathed, drawing out the words.

I eased myself closer along her body and began increasing the pressure. It was a test for me, of sorts. I'd jerked away from her so quickly after our kiss, that if I didn't practice, I'd never get near her mouth again. And I wanted to. "Bella?"

"Hmm?" she moaned.

My mouth was filled with venom. "I'm sorry if I said that, earlier. About no one choosing this...life."

Bella turned her head toward me and pushed her hair back. "I think about things, Edward. A lot."

I nodded, knowing damn well what she was saying. "So do I."

"I know," she replied. We laid there for awhile, and I felt myself acclimating to our closeness, my hand never leaving her skin. "Do you have to feed?" she asked softly.

"Probably," I admitted. Maybe she had heard me swallowing. Bella opened her eyes to study me. "What?"

"I've seen your eyes darker. They look pretty light right now," she said matter-of-factly.

"You've noticed that?" I asked, and she nodded. "I've been...feeding a lot." So much so, I was surprised I hadn't sprouted antlers or paws.

Bella snorted. "Emotional overeating?"

"Is that what it's called?" Jasper would have a good laugh over that one.

"Go, I'll be okay. I'll stay right here," she promised.

I kissed her quickly on the forehead and headed for the window. "Leave it open for me?" I asked, straddling the windowsill.

"Could I even lock you out?" she asked, laughing.

"Uh, no." I dropped to the ground and ran. If I were lucky I'd have time to drop my pants, as well. I'd done well around Bella, but I wasn't confident enough to let her touch me, as desperately as I wanted that.

Though I was tempted to hunt in the reserve, I stayed close and took down two elk. With the house in view, I stopped to take care of myself. I had just undone my pants, when I heard an unfamiliar noise. A motorcycle. I sprang up into the tree above me and cursed myself as I fixed my zipper. "Shit."

Who the fuck did I know, who rode a motorcycle? The engine was cut, before the bike turned onto the drive, and I listened. My growl was out before I could contain it, and I ignored the buzzing of my phone in my pocket, as I dropped to the ground and stalked to the uninvited guest.

I knew who it was, before I saw him, walking slowly up the drive.

Jacob Black.


	15. Chapter 15

Hostile Witness

It flitted through my mind, that I could kill him. On my fucking driveway, in front of my fucking home, with no one to see...

Jacob froze as I materialized in front of him. His head was full of images of us, wondering which vampire he'd see first, yet he was still surprised. "Back the fuck up," I spat. "Before you take another motherfucking step forward." I'd never been this close to one of them, and the gamey, acrid smell made my nostrils flare. "Do it!" I ordered.

He retraced his steps, backward, his eyes never leaving mine. "No one knows I'm here," he said evenly.

Like I gave a shit. "Should that impress me?" I scoffed. "Should it mean something, that you're finally doing something away from your pack?" He'd meant it as an appeasement, that he had nothing to hide.

Shame flooded his head, and I wished I could mentally look away from the images of Bella, unconscious and broken, laying on the grass behind Sam Uley's house, went through Jacob's mind. "I came to apologize."

"You thought you'd just show up here?" I asked incredulously. He wasn't lying, but I couldn't imagine what the fuck he'd been thinking, though if I'd wanted, I'm sure I could find something somewhere in that pea brain. "You're way off the rez, asshole." There was no treaty line on this side of the woods. The idea of dismembering him, and shoving his body parts up the asses of the other wolves was sounding reasonable to me.

"Edward!" Carlisle hissed. Both he and Jasper came from the trees by the side of the house, giving Jacob an opportunity to see them as they carefully approached. Pussies.

"Don't set foot here again," I warned. "Any of you. And if I even think I see Leah, I'll-"

"She's dead." Jacob's eyes flitted to my father. "We had to track her..." His voice trailed off, and he cleared his throat. "Bella should know."

Before I could react, Jasper was in front of me, blocking me from Jacob. "Message received," Jasper replied. "We'll be sure to pass it along," he drawled.

"Jacob," Carlisle said calmly. Him and his fucking voice of reason. Jasper snickered and nudged me back a few feet more. "You've betrayed her," Carlisle went on, ignoring us. Holy shit. Jasper and I both stared at our father.

"Whatever tribal justice was served, by your pack...it doesn't change what you've all done to Bella," Carlisle said sternly. "You may not think much of us-"

"He doesn't," I offered.

"I'm sorry!" Jacob blurted. "There wasn't enough time...we had to find Leah! No one meant to blame Bella!"

His thoughts were jumbled, but I could piece together the piss-poor logic of the wolves, that it was best if Bella were locked up, out of the way until they could deal with their own problems. Jasper knew I was about to erupt and roughly shoved me toward the house.

"Carlisle," he warned. "Wrap it the fuck up!"

"She nearly killed her!" I growled, straining against my brother. "She killed a child!"

Jasper grunted as he pushed me up the porch. "Shut it!"

Carlisle stood his ground. "We consider Bella part of our family-"

"She's human," Jacob stupidly interrupted.

Jasper glared at me, inches from my face. "You will stay here," he grounded out, before turning back to the other two. In a flash he was beside our father at the end of the driveway. "Here's where you leave, wolf."

Jacob was furious, with himself and us, as it occurred to him, what being part of a coven of vampires could mean. A part of me gloated, as if I'd won a prize. "I want to talk to her," Jacob demanded.

"She's resting," Carlisle said coolly. "Recuperating from her extensive injuries," he added, and I smirked, though there was nothing fucking funny about it.

"I'm sure Chief Swan would like a moment of your time, though," Jasper suggested.

"He already has," I said without thinking. "He was at the station this morning..." Jasper once again mentally told me to shut the fuck up, and Carlisle cleared his throat. What did I care if Jacob wondered how I knew? He was the idiot blindsiding Bella's father at work.

"It's none of your business," Jacob said hotly. I knew by his thoughts, that Charlie hadn't given him anything, including forgiveness. The lawman in him was enraged that the tribe had hidden one of its own, and the father in him was heartbroken that his child paid the price for it.

Jasper was done with the conversation. "You got a whole list of sins to atone for here. But it's not happening today."

"I'm allowed to talk to her," Jacob argued. The conversation was eerily similar to the one Jasper and I had with Bella, days earlier. "Or isn't she allowed to talk to me?" he asked snidely.

"Watch your tone," Carlisle snapped menacingly. "When Bella wishes to speak with you, she will."

"Does she even know what you are?" Jacob asked. He couldn't comprehend Bella willingly staying at our home.

"You worried we'd hide something?" Jasper asked. His posture was changing, as were his barely tolerant thoughts of Jacob. "You worried we'd do something to hurt her?"

"Goddamit!" Jacob yelled. "It was an accident! We would never have hurt her-"

"You left Bella alone with child of wolves," Jasper started, and I knew this wasn't going to end well. "She had no idea, the danger she was in just by being around all of you! And when the loose cannon of some stupid fucking love triangle went off, you let Bella take the hit. You knew she wouldn't say anything," he accused. "You knew!"

Carlisle raised his hand in front of Jasper. "Bella paid the price for this, Jacob. And now you are. Regardless of your intent, you belong to your tribe."

"I'm sure you know the saying, Jacob," Jasper taunted. "Let sleeping dogs lie-"

"You fucking leech-"

"Fuck you, Jacob Black," Jasper growled, spitting at Jacob's feet. "You lost, go grovel at someone else's feet, or paws, or whatever the fuck-"

"Enough!" Carlisle ordered.

Without a word, Jacob mounted his motorcycle and sped off. He'd heard every word Jasper had said, and he had agreed. I shook my head at the whole encounter and slowly made my way down the driveway. The three of us stood there, looking at each other.

Carlisle was the first to laugh, grabbing Jasper by the shoulder. "What on earth got into you?"

Jasper sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Either you're in, or you're out," he said, exasperated. "What kind of pack are they? Why does he keep showing up alone? If he were under me, he'd be dead by now."

Carlisle was thoughtful, but I was too busy wondering about Bella, who was starting to wake up in the house. "Given Jacob's torment over this," he said, while Jasper snorted, "I don't believe he's the alpha of the pack."

"Is he in love with Bella?" Jasper asked bluntly.

I shrugged. "Not romantically. He's genuinely concerned," I offered. I doubted Jacob would have safely ridden away, had I heard or seen anything indicating otherwise.

Carlisle clapped his hands. "Well, I'm going to retrieve the car."

We watched him go, and I turned to Jasper. "You were driving here?"

"Alice lost sight of you two," he explained. "We ran the rest of the way." His phone vibrated, and I left him there to answer it, while I went inside the house.

"Hey," Bella said, looking disoriented where she stood in the foyer. I gently grabbed her up, hugging her and burying my face in her neck and hair. She relaxed into me and sighed. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I mumbled. I took her with me to the couch and sat, holding her in my lap. "Jacob was here."

"Here?" she clarified. She shifted slightly away to look at me. "He came here?" I nodded, and she waited patiently, raising her eyebrow.

"He left in one piece."

"I take it, he knew I was here?"

I shifted her next to me, and covered her with the blanket from the back of the couch. "He came to apologize," I said, carefully watching her reaction.

Bella nodded and tucked the blanket around her. "I'm glad I was asleep," she said finally.

So was I. If she had been awake, or anywhere near me, when I confronted Jacob, I couldn't imagine what my reaction would have been. I'd seen enough in my own family, to know their responses, when they felt a mate was being threatened. "It's better that you were," I agreed.

We both turned, when Jasper and Carlisle entered the house. "Were they here, too?" Bella asked, whispering.

"Oh, we were here," Jasper called out, winking at her as he came into the living room.

Carlisle followed, holding up his black bag. "Some of us had a legitimate reason for doing so," he quipped, smiling broadly at her. "I brought my scissors," he whispered.

"Thankyou," Bella said sincerely. "The itching is driving me crazy."

"Come," he said, holding out his hand. "In the kitchen."

Jasper waited until they left, and were chatting out of human earshot, before speaking. "Did you tell her?" he asked.

"She was surprised he showed up here."

"She didn't ask him to come?"

"What?" What the hell? "No! She said she was glad she slept through it." I eyeballed him, and he held up his hands in surrender.

"Just checking."

"Do you not trust her?" I hadn't heard anything from him, mentally or verbally, that indicated that he didn't.

"As much as I trust anyone," he said, shrugging.

"That's heartwarming."

Jasper laughed. "That's me."

"You're an ass," I grumbled.

"Also true."

We were interrupted by the entrance of Bella and my father into the living room. "I'm going to take a shower," Bella said, trying to hide her blushing face as she rushed up the stairs.

"Carlisle?" I asked, confused.

"She's fine," he assured me, taking a seat next to me. "I checked her ribs. They're healing nicely. I don't think she'll have to keep them wrapped-"

He was avoiding thinking about anything in particular. "Why was she red?" I demanded.

"You didn't hear us?" he asked cautiously.

Honestly, I hadn't been listening. "No, Jasper and I were talking about Jacob..."

"Well..." He was stalling, and Jasper snickered. "Bella asked me some...medical questions."

"Is she okay?" She seemed fine.

"She is."

"I think I know where this is going," Jasper said. I knew he was trying not to laugh, and I frowned. "I'll be out in the car."

Carlisle held up his hand, asking me to wait, until Jasper had left and we heard the shower start upstairs. "Has your relationship with Bella become physical?" he asked.

I involuntarily swallowed. "We haven't had sex," I said nervously.

"But that's where you see it heading?" he asked kindly.

"Does she?"

"Edward," he breathed uneasily. "I know I don't have to warn you, of the physical danger to her..."

"No, you don't." Before I could start to wallow, Carlisle laid his hand on my knee.

"If anyone can do this, Edward, it's you. And her, for that matter. She is..." He stared across the room at the fireplace. "She reminds me of you. She asked when she could resume sexual relations," he said, eyeing me. "That's how she put it. And she was concerned about the effectiveness of her birth control. She receives the shot, and she was asked if her accident would affect it."

I was stunned, to know the depth of Bella's thoughts. "She's not afraid I'll kill her?"

"I think she was uncomfortable questioning me about the...mechanics of it. I believe she'll discuss that with you." Carlisle patted me before standing. "I'm sure, given your gift," he said, pointing to my head, "that you're well-versed in what to do. I would just suggest...go slowly, Edward. It's a powerful thing. I think, together, you can make this work. I believe it."

I knew he did. "I'm afraid what could happen, if I let go."

Carlisle nodded in agreement. "I understand. So practice...letting go. Together. Don't jump into anything," he advised. "I invited you both to dinner tonight, Bella said she'd ask you about it."

"Oh. Okay."

Carlisle smiled and surprised me with a hug. "I'm proud of you, today with Jacob."

"Yeah, well, Jasper seemed to be doing all the talking," I groused.

"He loves a good sparring match. Brings out the fighter in him," he said, chuckling and waving as he left.

I raced upstairs to find Bella sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for me. "Here," she said, thrusting a brush at me. "I'm too lazy to struggle with it."

I slid in behind her, thrilled. Maybe if I showed I could brush her hair, without ripping it from her scalp, she'd let me in her pants. Too bad the smell of her was distracting me from the task.

"Are you sniffing, or brushing?" she asked, laughing.

"Mm, both." I dropped the brush in her lap and wrapped my arms around her. "I'm done," I murmured, opening my mouth against her neck to taste her skin. She moaned by the time I reached her ear. "Bella," I whispered, slipping one of my hands under her shirt to touch her skin. "We can do this, right?" I needed her to believe it, too.

"We have to," she said, tightening her grip on my arm. "We will figure this out," she added emphatically.

I smiled into her cheek and kissed it. I loved a girl with a plan.


	16. Chapter 16

Hostile Witness

Bella sighed and stood from the bed. "We should talk about this."

I dreaded what 'this' was but nodded to her back. "Okay."

She took a seat on the couch, too far away for my liking, and stared out the window. "I still cannot believe Jacob showed up here," she said, shaking her head. "I hate to ask, but what was he thinking?"

I thought back to the heated argument and to the haze that had clouded my brain. "He was nervous," I started. "I was pissed."

"I bet."

I raked my hand through my hair, stalling. "He wanted to talk to you."

"Do you know about what?"

I counted off the images that had raced through Jacob's thought on my fingers. "About Leah...the attack...the courthouse...about my family." I suddenly remembered one particular image of a much younger Bella, on the beach. "He thought about talking to you, on the beach one time..."

Bella nodded slowly, thinking. "Was it raining?"

I nodded. "You were younger. Your coat was red, and you smacked him on the arm."

"Huh." She gathered her knees to her chest to hold them. "That was right before my twentieth birthday."

"Oh?" I couldn't believe the jealousy I was feeling, from some years-old memory of the two of them strolling along the beach.

"Your dad gave me stitches," she explained, holding up her arm to show me the underside. "Jacob took me to the ER."

"And then he took you to the beach?" I asked, confused.

Bella laughed. "No. I was visiting the rez with my dad, and Charlie was going on and on about how much he liked Carlisle. He got into an argument with Jake's dad about it...it was weird, but I guess now, it makes sense. I think the memory you saw was the day Jake told me the story about vampires."

"But not wolves."

Bella arched her eyebrow. "Obviously not."

"How exactly did he explain us?"

"Just some story, about his ancestors, and your ancestors...that the Cullens were...you know," she huffed. "Jacob's not a bad person. I know you don't want to hear that-"

"I don't think he's bad, Bella. I don't." Misguided...not very bright...I wouldn't care if he disappeared from the face of the earth...

She was skeptical. "This is going to be a problem," she said, gesturing between the two of us.

"How so?"

"Vampires and wolves are enemies, right?" she asked, and I nodded. "So how is this possibly going to go over, me involved with you?"

"Go over with whom?" I asked carefully, not sure I understood. "My family supports you. Us," I clarified. "I'm not concerned with the tribe's opinion." Was she?

"Would all vampires?" she asked, staring at me. "Do vampires and humans 'hang out?'" She shifted her position and angrily sat forward. "And how can you ignore the tribe? We all live here!"

"Why are you mad?"

"I'm not!" Tears were spilling from her eyes, and she furiously wiped at them.

"Bella," I said softly, and she shrank back on the couch.

"How can I stay here?" she asked hoarsely. "And how can I go back?"

God, this was a fucking mess. Where did I even start? "We've been living with the tribe for a long time," I said slowly. "Unless one of us kills you, which isn't going to happen, I promise, there's no reason to think there's a problem." Except for Jacob, and his incessant pestering.

Bella nodded, but she wouldn't look at me. "As for other vampires..." That was harder to explain. "Yes and no, vampires don't hang out with humans. Not like we are, at least."

"Yes and no?"

"I mean, yes, vampires hang around humans, for obvious reasons, but no, not out in the open as a couple. We don't expose ourselves, like we have with you."

"Why not?"

"It's against the rules," I explained.

"Whose?" she asked sharply, finally looking at me.

"Our...governing body. Or whatever you'd like to call them. There are rules," I said hastily.

"What happens when you break them?"

I snorted. "Well, first you have to get caught."

"This isn't funny, Edward."

"Yeah, no shit, Bella." I jumped up and went to stare out the window, no longer able to look at her. "We would all be punished," I said quietly. "Permanently."

Bella gasped, and I ignored it. "Edward-"

"I wouldn't let it get that far," I said, interrupting her. "The biggest threat would be another vampire discovering you and bringing it to someone's attention. Alice won't let that happen. If someone were coming, for whatever reason, we'd leave," I said simply.

"Who would leave?"

"You and I."

Bella came to where I was standing and tried to turn me toward her. "You would leave your family?" she asked.

"Of course." I couldn't understand the incredulity in her voice.

She tugged at me until I faced her. "You would choose me, over your family?"

"Yes." Alice had said to be honest, and as hard as it was to say, without knowing what Bella would do, it was the truth. "I will always choose you."

That made her cry again, and all I could think to do was hold her and hope to hell I stopped bringing her to tears. "Bella, please," I begged. "Why does that upset you?" Had I said the wrong thing? I would go wherever Bella went, without question. I stiffened, when I realized why that would bother her. Not my decision, but her own. "You wouldn't," I said. I smoothed her hair along her back repetitively, unable to stop. "You can't choose."

She'd said this before, she'd cried over it. How could she choose? Bella had a life, but I had just assumed-

"Edward," she said, gently pushing at me.

"You wouldn't choose me, over your family," I said helplessly. Though she was squirming now in my arms, I couldn't let go of her.

"Edward! Stop!"

I abruptly let go of her, nearly causing her to stumble. "You just said we would make this work." I looked back at the bed, to where we had been sitting.

Bella looked up at me and slowly raised her hands to my face. She smiled through her tears, and I was surprised to feel my eyes burn, as if there were venom there. "We will," she promised, caressing my cheeks. "Come on." She led us back to the bed and gestured for me to lay down.

Stretching out on my back, I was shocked to see her straddle me. "Bella," I warned, and she shushed me, sitting just high enough on my hips to avoid the hard on making itself obvious between my legs.

"Let me see you," she said softly. She pushed my arms above my head and began to unbutton my shirt. "I didn't know..." Her voice faltered as her warm hands traced a pattern along my chest, eventually resting over my dead heart. "I almost died," she said shakily, looking at me until I acknowledged her. "I know that could happen again...with you."

"I won't hurt-"

She smiled and covered my mouth. "It's dangerous, Edward. I get it." She pulled her hand back and quickly kissed me, before laying on my chest, and I lowered my arms to hold her there. "I don't want anymore accidents," she said softly.

Neither did I, not by my hand, or anyone else's. "Bella," I croaked.

She leaned up to look at me. "We should be able to say this, right?"

"It's a big fucking deal," I said gravely. "It's not that I'm afraid to say it..."

"I'll make this crystal clear," she said seriously, sitting up again. "I want you to turn me into a vampire."

I nearly fucking came in my pants. "And I want to turn you," I said awkwardly, figuring a statement like hers deserved a response.

Her frown was immediate. "But...?"

She had to talk to my family. "I want to discuss this more with you," I said evenly, watching her expression. "With my family, too. Okay?"

"Do I need their permission?" she asked honestly.

"No. But the right thing to do, since you're making such a huge decision, is to hear about their...lives."

Bella was skeptical again. "Do you want me to?" she asked, and I nodded. "Alright." She went back to touching me, and as much as I wanted her to, when she bent to kiss my neck, I growled.

"We have to stop," I gasped. My hands went to her hips, and I unconsciously moved her over my erection. "I don't want to, but we should." It was too much for me, her hands and mouth at once.

Bella nodded and slid to the side, and it was an amazing fucking sensation. "It does scare me a little," she admitted, trying and failing not to stare at my crotch. "I'm not a virgin, but I wouldn't want to be hurt...that way."

It was too gruesome to even ponder. "If I lost control..." I stammered.

She laid back and sighed, but her hand was still on my arm. "Do you think there are other things we could try?"

God, I hoped so. "Sure," I squeaked.

"I think about it a lot," she said, and I snorted, causing her to laugh.

"Yeah, me, too." It was quiet in the room, and my mind drifted to the time I first realized she wanted me that way, the day I'd help wrap her in the bathroom.

"I think about you." Bella rolled to face me. "When I..." Her voice trailed off, and I saw her blush.

This was good. "When you..." I said, egging her on.

"When I touch myself."

Decades of keeping a neutral expression on my face were finally on my side. "So do I," I said evenly.

She seemed surprised by that. "You do?"

"Every day." And night. And every minute in between.

Her eyes shot back to my jeans. "Could I watch?"

I took a deep swallow of venom and thought about it. Was this the practice Carlisle had suggested? And could I jerk off with her watching? The prude in me was rearing its bashful head. "You'd like that?" I asked in disbelief.

"I'd love it."

Well, that was fucking that. I had my pants undone before she could take another breath. "Maybe you should move over," I suggested, reaching above me with one hand to hold onto the headboard. Instead, she sat up, cross legged next to me, her eyes following as I licked my other hand and reached for my dick.

"God, Edward," she breathed. "Go slow."

So I did. This was better than having to imagine her, which surprised me. Having her sit next to me, watching me work myself over, was more erotic and satisfying than I could believe. Her warm hand slid to my thigh, and I knew she wanted to touch. "Don't move," I commanded, and she nodded, frozen in place. Her breathing picked up, along with her heart rate, and I could smell the scent coming from between her legs. "Bella," I moaned.

"Go ahead, come. I want you to," she said huskily. "Come for me."

I grunted and held my hips as still as I could, not caring where anything landed. I coughed and sputtered her name as I finished, experiencing the best release I'd had since meeting her. If this were what we had, we were doing it all the fucking time.

"You look happy," she said, smiling.

"Fucking ecstatic," I agreed, matching her grin.

"You're beautiful like that, Edward."

I swore, my dead heart clenched at her sincerity. "I want this with you. All of it." Not just the sex, but her, being with me. It was a crude comparison, but she brought things out of me, and there was no going back.

"I think we can do this," she said confidently.

"Maybe we should practice some more," I suggested. "Just to be sure."

Bella tried not to laugh and moved off the bed. "Probably," she agreed. She took a towel from the bathroom and handed it to me. "Right after we have dinner with your parents." She openly watched me, as I cleaned myself off.

"I'm hard all the time around you," I admitted, knowing she could see that I was springing back to attention as I desperately attempted to cover myself. I felt like an ass at that moment, making it all about me. "Sorry, that was stupid, don't listen to me." I quickly righted my clothes and stood from the bed.

She cocked her head and stared, listening to my rambling. "You're hilarious," she said, chuckling.

Thank God she thought so. "I'm feeling selfish at the moment," I admitted.

"Don't," she pleaded. "You just shared something with me, don't be embarrassed." Her eyebrows furrowed. "You've never done this before, have you?"

Jerked off? Ha! "Done what?"

"Been in a sexual relationship."

Time to come clean. "No." 'Virgin! Virgin! Virgin!' my virgin self taunted.

Bella nodded thoughtfully. "Did what we just did make you feel bad?"

Hell, no. "Not at all. I'm just now..."

"Feeling guilty. Because you didn't reciprocate," she ventured.

"Exactly!" How well she understood me. Bella giggled, and then laughed, louder and louder. "What?" I demanded.

"You are a rare breed, Edward Cullen," she said, pulling herself together.

"Because I'm a vampire?" I asked stupidly. Oh, God. "Because I'm inexperienced?"

I wasn't expecting the warm hug she pulled me into, or the gentle kiss on my neck. "Because you're wonderful," she whispered, holding me tightly.

Oh.


	17. Chapter 17

Hostile Witness

"Christ, you drive fast."

"Sorry," I said automatically, dropping the speed down a bit. Bella had been white-knuckling her door handle since we'd left my house, and I had assumed she was nervous about meeting up with my family. "Bad habit," I joked.

Bella smiled grimly and stared out her window. "No problem."

"We can do this another time," I offered. Maybe she wasn't feeling well. Bella's stamina had improved remarkably in the past few days, though when she reached her limits, they hit her hard. "Want to turn around?"

"Uh uh." She shifted in her seat and readjusted her skirt, her scent wafting toward me.

Oh. "Bella?" I asked, grinning unintentionally.

"Shut up." She knew I could smell her, and immediately the blush of her cheeks added to the mixture.

"We could go back home and practice." Hell, we could pull over where we were, for all I cared.

Bella huffed and covered her face. "You'd think I'd never had sex before," she groaned. "God, Edward, I can't even think straight!"

I slowed down the car and pulled onto the gravel on the side of the road. "Hey," I said, tugging at her sleeve. "We should go back." Not because I was more than happy to, which I was, but I knew Bella, and she'd have a problem with a room of vampires knowing her...business. "No one understands better than my family, when a situation is too physically difficult."

To my relief, she laughed and dropped her hands. "It's ridiculous!" She waved her hand at my crotch and shook her head. "It's all I can think about."

If I weren't hard before, I was then. "We'll go back," I said, already screeching through the u-turn.

"I'm sorry," she said, embarrassed.

"Yeah, you should be." Was she joking? I was more worried I'd jump her as soon as we left the car.

"I don't want you to think it's all I want," she said sadly.

"I'm okay if it is," I said, laughing. I glanced at her and saw that she wasn't. "Hey. I know it's not. I think we've been through enough...I'm not likely to think poorly of you at this point, Bella," I said sincerely. It was still early, and she still hadn't eaten. "How about if I take you to dinner? Like in town?"

She nodded and leaned heavily against her seat, trying to discreetly wipe her eyes. "God, this is all so fucked up."

It was the first I'd really heard her express anything so emotionally about what had happened to her, if that were what she was saying. "What is?" I asked cautiously. I could feel her stare as I parked in the lot of a diner.

"All of it."

I had no fucking clue what to say, so I took her hand and waited. I felt fairly certain she wasn't talking about the two of us, but God knows, I wasn't an expert.

"You make it a lot easier," she said finally, tugging my hand so I'd look at her. "You do."

So did she. "Want me to go in and get you something?" I asked. I'd have trouble sitting in a booth, with her looking at me the way she was. Bella nodded, and a short time later we were heading home while she drank her milkshake. She'd already moaned her way through her cheeseburger, which made the stench of it more than bearable.

"That was so good," she declared, hanging up her jacket and reaching for me. "Thank you."

I hugged her, burying my face in her hair. "Let me call them, tell them we won't be there..." She nodded, and I slowly let go of her and moved to the kitchen. Carlisle was understanding, as I knew he would be, especially when I alluded to what had caused our change of plans. If anything, my family felt they owed me for subjecting me to decades of their sexual hijinks. I heard Bella enter the kitchen behind me and ended the call. "They're fine with it," I said, turning to see her leaning against the wall. "You feeling any better?" She looked better.

Bella smirked and smoothed her hands down her skirt. "I feel better."

I was confused, but walked slowly to her. "Yeah?"

She nodded and smiled, and once I was in front of her, she reached up to rest her warm hands on my shoulders. "Kneel down?" she asked quietly, her hands pressing.

"Okay." I swallowed and lowered myself to my knees in front of her, balancing back on my heels. It did not escape me, what was now in my face. "Bella?"

"Would you like to watch?"

"Oh, God," I whispered.

Her cheeks were red again, as she slowly lifted the fabric away, holding it against her with one of her hands. I supposed I had shown her mine, but this felt different, and I immediately understood the human memories I'd heard and seen over the years, of playing doctor and hiding in closets.

"Bella," I breathed out, tentatively tracing the side of her underwear with my finger.

She gently pushed away my hand while shaking her head. "You watch. No touching."

"Can I touch myself?"

"Next time," she promised, slipping her own hand between her legs to rub herself, through the underwear. She sighed as she massaged herself, and I couldn't help but wonder how it would feel, if she were to grab me that way.

Without thinking I reached for her and eased down her underwear. I was impatient, I knew, and she chastised me for it. "Sorry," I lied, inching forward. I looked up at her as I slowly raised one of her legs, until her foot rested on top of my thigh. Her knee moved to the side, and God, she was gorgeous.

"Edward," she warned.

"I won't touch," I promised, sliding my hands under my legs, as if that would actually work. But I was going to watch, and with her leg lifted by mine, the view spread out before me was, literally, mouth-watering. "Keep going," I begged.

She did, and it wasn't long before her fingers, with more force and speed than I would have anticipated, brought her to a very loud, and seemingly satisfying, orgasm. Bella panted and sagged against the wall, dropping her skirt back into place and grasping my shoulders.

"I want to do that," I said sincerely.

Bella laughed and pushed back her hair. "Give me a minute," she joked. "God, that felt good." She squealed as I pulled her down onto my lap. "Gentle!" she yelped.

"Bella," I groaned, licking my way up her neck. I wasn't even interested in her blood, I just wanted to fuck her. "Can you...would you be able to...?" Christ, I didn't even know what to ask.

"Do you want to come?" she asked, and I felt her hand at my zipper.

"Uh huh," I said, sucking on her skin. All over her I wanted to come, wherever she'd let me.

"Lean back a little," she whispered.

I braced my hands on the floor behind me and watched her as she undid my pants. "I don't think this will take long-"

"Shh," she said, before slipping her hand between her own legs.

"Did you just...?" Oh, shit. "Bella," I whined. She'd fucking kill me. If I didn't kill her first, she'd surely kill me. Suddenly her hand was on me, and it was obvious, someone had been paying attention to my little show earlier that day. "Shit," I hissed.

"Can you stay still?" she asked distractedly, as her hand slid expertly up and down my dick. "Should I move?"

I shook my head as I leaned further away from her, onto my elbows. "You're fine," I managed.

"You don't know how badly I just want to get on," she said quietly.

That was it for me. "Fuck!" I yelled out, coming across my shirt and her hands. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I must have startled her enough, because she rapidly moved from me and sat a few feet away. "Sorry!"

Bella shook her head and grinned. "Don't apologize for that, Edward. It was amazing!"

I dropped my head to the floor and lay there, too stunned to do anything else. "Bella," I said, finally. I was sure I was a sight, exposed and covered in come, sprawled out on the kitchen floor, but I apparently could not keep my mouth shut. "I love you," I said, reaching my hand to graze her foot. "I know my timing is impeccable..."

"So romantic," she joked, crawling back to me.

"I'm sorry," I said, sitting up and pulling off my shirt. "Every day, I think I can't possibly get any closer to you...I do, I love you."

Bella sat on me again, kissing me gently across my face. "I almost said it, too, right after..." Her blush was back. "I love you, too."

I wanted her to forgive me for what I was sure was the worst declaration of love in the history of time, but her mouth felt too good on mine. "Your mouth," I moaned. I loved her mouth.

"Oh," she gasped. "We should do that!"

"Yeah, okay, we have to stop," I said quickly, disentangling her from me and standing us both up.

"It would be so good," she protested.

Surely Carlisle hadn't intended for us to cover everything in one day. "It would," I agreed. "It will."

Bella winced as she tried to stretch to one side. "I think I may have overdone it," she said, laughing at herself.

"Let's go," I said, leading her upstairs. I waited on the bed in my room, while she used the bathroom first.

"My dad called," she said, popping her head through the doorway. "That's what woke me up earlier. He left a message, but I haven't had a chance to listen to it." She raised her eyebrows suggestively, and I laughed.

"I forgot to tell you...Jacob went to see him this morning, before coming here."

Bella shut off the light and moved to the dresser. "That boy has a death wish," she said dryly, oblivious to my ogling of her almost bare body. If this were the fallout from our new intimacy, I was not going to complain. "I'll call him back," she said, covering her bra and underwear with pajamas.

"How old are you?" I asked abruptly.

She handed me a brush and motioned for me to move back further onto the bed. "Twenty-six. Why?"

"How old is Jacob?" She had called him a boy, though they did not seem that far apart in age to me.

"Three years younger."

I gently ran the brush through her long hair and she sighed, sliding her warm hands along my knees. "Were you and he ever...?" I asked. I had no idea where I was going with it, but I suddenly needed to know. Bella knew I'd never been in a sexual relationship, and I wondered if one even asked about former partners.

"No," she said, drawing out the word. "That would be...no. I've never felt that way for him. We're close, but not like that."

"He doesn't think of you that way, either," I said, wondering what exactly 'close' meant.

"There haven't been that many," she offered, "if that's what you were wondering."

I hadn't been, until she mentioned it. "Oh."

Bella stood, and I handed her back the brush. "Lay down," she said softly.

While my mind was free from images of her and the wolf, it was now filled with unknown faceless men, sharing themselves with-

"Hey!" she said, leaning over me. "Stop." She stretched into my side, covering me with her arm and leg. "I never would have done, what we did just now, with any of them."

"But you've had...sex with them."

"I can't take back what I've done, Edward. I'm sure you can say the same," she said evenly.

She had a point. "I guess I don't share well," I ventured.

"Neither do I." Bella felt around under the pillow to turn on the electric blanket. "I can only imagine the female vampires you've run into. They must be beautiful."

Compared to Bella, they weren't. "They're okay," I said, trying to sound casual.

She snickered and tried to pinch me. "Well, they lost their chance, because now you're mine." She sighed happily and ran her hand along my bare chest. "I'm gonna fall asleep on you," she said quietly, doing just that a few minutes later.

The longer I'd been a vampire, the less I envisioned finding someone, let alone a mate. I knew it pained my family, but I had become used to it. Bella had been right, female vampires were beautiful. But they weren't her, and for the first time, I was glad they hadn't been.


	18. Chapter 18

Hostile Witness

Turned out, I could also make pancakes. Despite the open flame of the gas stove, and that the ingredients included eggs but not the shells, I had become adept at the art of at least not burning human food. Two foods, but it left me feeling accomplished. So smug, that I had failed to notice the arrival of Bella's father on our doorstep.

"Charlie!" I exclaimed pleasantly, opening the front door. The man reminded me so much of his daughter, I truly was pleased to see him. "Come in."

"Didn't mean to show up unannounced," he said apologetically.

I took his wet coat and hung it next to the door. "No problem. Bella mentioned you called."

"Something smells good," he commented.

"Yeah?" I asked hopefully. Good, maybe I had actually made the damn things correctly. "Pancakes. You want some?" I led him to the kitchen and offered him a seat.

"I could eat." He eyed the heaping plate and chuckled. "That's a lot of pancakes."

"Uh...you know, once you get started," I said lamely. What I'd failed to read, were the instructions on the quantity, resulting in an entire box worth of food. "Please, help yourself."

"Bella asleep?" he asked.

I'd heard her starting to wake minutes before Charlie arrived. "I think she's just getting up."

He nodded thoughtfully and continued eating. Since he hadn't grimaced or choked, I assumed the food was at least tolerable. While I couldn't get a fix on his mind, the Chief was weighed down in his thoughts, most of which centered around his daughter.

"Hey," Bella said, smiling as she entered the kitchen and caught sight of her father. "Sorry I didn't return your call, Dad," she apologized.

Charlie wiped his mouth and held out his arms for her. "Just wanted to check in on you. I haven't been out in a few days."

Bella squeezed him tightly before taking the seat next to him. "You boys having breakfast without me?" she joked.

"One of us is," Charlie said.

I tried not to pull a face as Bella drowned her stack in the sickly, sweet-smelling syrup. "I was heading out for a run," I lied. "I'll eat after that."

"I'd like to get a chance to talk to the both of you," Charlie said seriously. "When you come back," he added.

I snuck a glance at Bella and nodded. "Sure, I won't be gone long." I gave her a discreet squeeze as I passed her and waved as I left the kitchen. It wasn't long before I found some deer, so I backtracked to the house, getting only close enough to hear Bella's and Charlie's voices. Their conversation wasn't as interesting to me, as was the fact that the Chief had shown up at all.

The day before had been the first time Bella had commented on her ordeal, and it made sense, that her father was also trying to come to terms with it. Jasper and I had discussed Charlie a few times, wondering how he would handle not only what had happened to his daughter, but the probably now-shattered relationship he had with his former friends in the tribe. I imagined the distrust and anger he presumably felt would have to extend to his workplace, as well. Judging by the Chief's gun collection, Jasper and I both felt the people of Forks and La Push were lucky Charlie was such a level-headed man.

"I'm surprised, but I'm not," Bella said softly. I had slid behind the house and stopped beneath the kitchen window.

"I can't fix this," Charlie replied gruffly.

"I know."

I could hear him push his plate away along the counter. "The thing is, I don't want to fix it. I guess that bothers me most of all, for your sake-"

"You're not going to resolve it," Bella said loudly, surprising me. "Please don't think any less of yourself. Not on account of them," she added angrily.

"I don't like leaving you."

I almost slipped on the wet grass under my feet, I was so surprised. Charlie was leaving?

"Charlie," Bella whined. "You've been talking about it for years."

"Retiring maybe, but not..."

Bella's stool scraped along the floor, and I assumed she was hugging him. "It's okay," she said, her voice muffled. They were quiet for a moment, and I contemplated going inside.

"So," Charlie said, clearing his throat. "Edward."

I was staying outside.

Bella took a deep breath. "Yeah." I wondered if any other two people, aside from when my own family spoke to me in my head, said fewer words, than Charlie and Bella.

"He's it, huh?"

"He is."

My grin was a mile wide, I was sure. I knew how I felt and how she felt, but it was different to hear it, and if I thought I'd been full of myself for cooking...

"They're different," Charlie said cautiously. Oh, shit.

"They are," Bella replied evenly.

"But you think you'll be okay with them."

"I will," she said, her voice breaking.

"Okay."

"I'm sorry," she said hoarsely, and my heart went out to her.

"Honey..." Charlie said kindly.

I slid around the house, stomping loudly on the porch before opening the door. "I'm back," I called out, wincing at my lame attempt to appear normal.

"Still raining, I take it," Charlie observed, chuckling at my soaked clothing. "Plenty of pancakes left."

"Great." I ignored Bella's smirk and took the hand towel she offered. "Thanks," I said, shooting her a look. "I'll just grab a plate..."

"Bella made some coffee, too," Charlie offered.

"Awesome." Maybe if I ate over the sink, I could dump most of it. Or just distract Charlie. "You mentioned wanting to talk about something."

Charlie nodded and leaned on the counter in front of him. "I was just talking it over with Bella," he said, gesturing toward her. "I've been throwing around the idea of retiring for a while now."

"Oh?"

"I think maybe now's the time to do it."

I continued to slowly cut into the food in front of me. Though I was decades older than he was, I respected him for his decency. Admitting it was time to walk away was something few people had the courage to do. "I think," I started carefully, "that it will be their loss, Charlie." I set down my plate to look at him, to see if I'd offended him, which wasn't my intention. "And honestly," I went on, "you don't owe any of them a fucking thing."

Charlie barked out a laugh and Bella blushed. "I'm guessing you've told Bella the same thing," he said.

"Maybe a little more politely," I admitted. "Sorry."

He held up his hand and shook his head. "Don't apologize." He looked at Bella and his smile grew tighter. "Just take care of her."

"Dad-"

"I will," I promised.

He abruptly stood up and gave Bella a quick kiss on the top of her head. "I'll give you a call," he said, waving his hand for me to follow him. "I want to talk to Edward for a second."

I glanced at Bella and followed the chief to the porch where he stopped us. He wasn't nervous, but he reminded me of his daughter, gathering his thoughts before he spoke.

"I don't know what happened at the Uley's," he said finally. He stared at me for a minute, and I waited. "I know the tribe does," he ventured, and I nodded in acknowledgement. "I can let this go, if you can promise nothing like this will happen again."

And Jasper had thought Bella was smart. "If you mean to Bella, I can."

Charlie's eyes narrowed, but he was calm. "You guys staying here?" he asked.

Were we? Since I'd never turned anyone into a vampire, I hadn't a fucking clue. "Probably not," I guessed.

He turned and stared at the rain, deep in thought again. "I haven't been this angry..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head.

I wished at that moment that he weren't leaving, that he would stay. I wished that my family could give him the support he deserved, as I knew they would. "Would you rather stay with Bella?" I asked. I was taking her away from him, even though it was something she wanted.

"No." He shook his head again and looked back at me. "She's happy with you, and I'm okay with that."

"I'm happy with her," I said sincerely, and he laughed.

"I'm okay with that, too," he said, clapping me on the back. "You know, Jacob gave me an earful down at the station."

"Huh."

"Sounded like there was no love lost between your family and his."

I rocked back and forth on my heels, wracking my brain for what Carlisle would say. "The tribe has one way of looking at things, and I guess my family has another." It was a fucking understatement, but it was the truth. "That includes Bella," I added quietly.

"Alright," Charlie said, apparently okay with my answer.

The door opened suddenly behind us, and Bella came out onto the porch. "You're still both out here?" she asked, surprised.

"I'm going, I'm going," Charlie said, jogging to his car.

Bella moved her arm around my waist and waved as he pulled away. "I can't believe he's going to leave Forks."

I couldn't believe any of it, and it was overwhelming me. "He's one of the best humans I've ever come across," I said, glancing down at her. "So are you."

"That is a really strange compliment."

But I'd meant it. "I'm serious-"

"Do you know how kind you and your family are?" she asked.

"You haven't met all of us," I countered. And certainly not any other vampires. "Not all of us have been kind, believe me."

Bella let out an exasperated sigh and tried to pinch me. "Fine, he's a good man."

"He is," I agreed.

"What were you two discussing?"

"I think he knows we're...not normal. My family, I mean." I turned and wrapped my arms around her. "He chose us, I think. For you."

"Don't I have a say?" she mumbled into my chest.

"You know that's not what I meant."

Bella tilted her head up at me, and all I wanted to do was kiss her. Well, and strip off her clothes and mount her. "We should shower."

"Oh," I said, immediately releasing her. "Do I smell like deer?" I asked, sniffing my clothes. I was soaked from the rain, but maybe I'd missed something on me.

"Together," she clarified.

Oh! I looked her over critically. "How are your ribs this morning?"

She shrugged, and I quickly but carefully picked her up and put her over my shoulder. "Edward!"

"Shh..." I said, darting to the bathroom and setting her back on her feet. "Strip," I commanded. At least part of my fantasy was happening.

We both ogled each other as our clothes dropped to the floor, and I wondered if I would really be able to go through with it once the hot water hit her. "Bella," I groaned, as she pulled me in with her.

"Too much?" she asked worriedly, stepping back against the tiled wall behind her.

I shook my head and gently turned her around, facing away from me. "It's okay." I tried to concentrate on washing her hair, and not on the way my dick constantly grazed her ass. Or how good she smelled. Or the way she moaned when I sucked on her neck.

When she reached for the edge of the towel she'd thrown over the shower door, I felt myself slip between her legs, trapped there, and I hissed. "Fuck," I growled. It felt too good and I stilled her with my hands.

"Edward?" she asked cautiously.

"Don't move," I begged, and she carefully nodded her head, ever so slightly arching her back more. Slowly, I pulled back, fascinated by the sight of me sliding between the curves of her ass. "You're so warm," I whispered, and she moaned as I slid back between her legs.

Bella's front was flush with the wall, and she turned her head and leaned her cheek against it. "That's good," she said softly, her eyes closed.

"Just...try...try to stay still," I gasped. It was good, so fucking good. If it felt that good on the outside, I couldn't imagine how it felt on the inside. "Bella? Do you want to touch yourself?" I didn't trust myself to do both.

Her hand slowly moved between her legs, and I could feel the tips of fingers with each of my thrusts. "Shit!" I groaned. "I won't last like this." A tile cracked under the pressure of my palm, and we both jerked.

"Edward," she said breathlessly, "I'm...I'm..." She leaned her head on her forearm and cried silently into it.

I grabbed her by the waist, pulling her tightly to me, her softness against my hips, and I came, as gently as I could without breaking her. "Mother...fuck..." I growled out. "Jesus," I panted into her hair. "Jesus Christ."

Bella nodded and laughed. "I've never felt so good," she breathed, "not having sex!"

I roughly turned her around and kissed her. "Bella." I was hard again, and I wanted her, I wanted in there. "I want..." God, her smell, and the way she tasted. And her tits...

"Edward!"

"Bella," I answered, latching onto the skin on her shoulder. I pushed my hips at her, but the angle wasn't right. Maybe if I turned her around again-

"Edward!" She was shoving me, and to be honest, it was turning me on even more. "Fuck! Edward!" Bella slapped my face, hard, and cried out at the contact.

"Bella?"

"Back up!" she screamed, pushing at me. "Back the fuck up! Now!"

Why was she so upset? "Are you okay?" I asked dumbly.

She nodded and fumbled with the door, practically tumbling out of the shower. "We have to stop!"

I grabbed for the towel, to give it to her, but she was gone. "Bella?" She was crying, I could hear her, and I bolted from the bathroom.

When she saw me, she scrambled across the bed to the other side. "Stop," she said shakily.

"Did I hurt you?" I asked, ashamed at the thought. "I'm sorry-"

"No!" she said sharply.

"Why are you so frightened?" She reeked of fear, and I took a step back. "Are you afraid of me?" I glanced down and realized I was still naked. "Sorry," I said, attempting to cover myself.

"You weren't you."

"Huh?"

Bella glanced to the bathroom. "In the shower. The second time..."

Shit. "I scared you." She nodded and burst into tears again. "Jesus, Bella, I'm sorry." I wanted to say that I wouldn't have hurt her, that I would have stopped. I quickly grabbed some clothes and put them on. "I'm sorry," I repeated. I took my towel from the floor and slowly walked toward the bed. "Here," I said, gently placing it on the bedspread. "I'll go."

Bella nodded and warily watched as I left the room. I closed the door and sank to the floor, listening as she tried to stop crying. By the time she had dressed and dried her hair, she had calmed down, and I went downstairs.

I was cleaning the kitchen when she finally joined me. I wasn't sure what to say, so I started scrubbing the sink for the third time.

"I'm sorry I hit you."

Had she hit me? "I didn't..." I hadn't felt it, which made me feel worse. "I'm sorry you had to."

"Edward," she pleaded.

"It was too much, I guess," I said, sighing. "I liked it too much, I wanted..." I could feel her, right behind me, and I knew she was afraid to touch me. I hated it. "Please don't be afraid of me," I whispered.

Her arms went around me, and I almost collapsed in relief. "I'm not."

"But you were," I argued.

"Stop."

I did remember her saying that. "I almost didn't."

Bella huffed and tried to drag me to face her. "But you did." I let her turn me around, but I couldn't look at her at first. "We went too far, that's all."

She was so pretty, and so fragile. "I'm sorry, Bella."

"I love you, Edward. So, so much." Her eyes searched my face, and I couldn't help but kiss her, and hold her.

"I love you, too."

"It's not a bad thing to be reminded," she offered, and I laughed.

"It's kind of you to see it that way," I said dryly.

We clung to each other, and I wondered if I could handle it. Harming her, or even killing her, was something I knew I couldn't, so it left no choice. I'd have to handle it. I had to.


	19. Chapter 19

Hostile Witness

Bella lowered the car window and leaned into the breeze. "I feel bad you've missed so much work," she said.

I wasn't. "We only have a couple of cases pending." Neither Jasper nor I were particularly interested in practicing law, though I knew he'd been in the office a few times over the past month with Alice. "It's shuffling papers, mostly," I assured her.

Bella gathered her hair and knotted it at the back of her neck. "I always thought the law would be interesting."

"You'd be wrong."

She laughed and elbowed me. "You'd be ridiculously good at a trial."

"Proving what I've heard in someone's mind is a bit harder than you'd think," I argued.

"I meant with the female jurors," she teased.

"Oh."

"I just about peed my pants when I first saw you in that room with Eric," she went on. "If I were on a jury?" she speculated.

"Peed your pants?"

Bella laughed and closed the window. "Edward," she said, staring at me. "You have to know how attractive you are."

I didn't know how to respond to that, as I was only interested in her opinion of me, and not the opinions of the countless other humans I'd heard over the years. "As long as you think so," I said honestly.

"And you're unpretentious on top of it."

"You're describing yourself, you know," I said, pulling in front of my office. "Though I didn't want to 'pee' the first time I saw you," I added, raising my eyebrows.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure I was quite a vision in jail," she said dismissively.

"I left with a hard-on," I blurted, and she blushed. "Sorry, that was..." What an ass. "It's the truth." God, I could not shut up. I ran my hands over my face and glanced across the street. "Huh, that's Jasper's car."

I led Bella to the front door of the office and paused at the scent of my sister, mingled with Jasper's.

"You okay?" Bella asked, sliding her hand into mine.

"Alice is here, too." Or she had been. I scanned the building and frowned. "I don't hear her."

"Okay," Bella said, drawing out the word.

"It's fine." I wasn't expecting either of my siblings, so it left me curious as to how random the encounter was and what that meant.

"Does it matter?" Bella asked, jarring me from my thoughts.

"You're reading my mind now," I said, snickering. "No, it doesn't matter. It might be just us," I admitted. "I mean, us being an 'us.'"

"I have no idea what you mean."

I knew she didn't, since I barely knew what I meant. "We're, uh...we're together now," I said, and she nodded. "Apparently, my body doesn't like surprises where you're concerned."

"Is this a vampire thing?" she whispered.

I shouldn't have been surprised when Jasper answered her. "It's a mate thing," he called out.

"Hey, Jasper," Bella answered, walking ahead of me to find him before I could pull her back and possibly drag her away to safety. "Where are you?" she asked. I managed to dart in front of her to enter his office first. "Edward!" she huffed.

Jasper was sprawled in his chair with his boots on his desk. "Howdy," he dead-panned.

"What was that?" Bella demanded, her hands on her hips.

"He can't help it, darlin'. His body's gonna keep getting in the way of his good sense for a while."

It was true, I had to admit, visions of what had happened in the shower flitting through my mind. At that moment, I seemed unable to be anywhere but in between Bella and my brother. "Sorry," I said softly.

"That's going to be inconvenient in a crowd," she noted, trying not to smile.

I groaned at the thought, and Jasper laughed. "Yeah, you won't be in any crowds for a while, either, sweetheart," he replied. I shrugged and sank onto the couch, pulling her with me. Where she would be safe.

"Edward," she hissed, wriggling away from me.

Jasper smirked and narrowed his eyes at the two of us. "Alice was planning on coming back."

Bella was genuinely excited. "I get to meet her?" she asked breathlessly.

"If that's okay with your warden, there," Jasper answered.

"I tried to bring her over yesterday!"

"He did," Bella said quickly in my defense. "It was my fault we didn't make it." Her warm hand on my knee was somewhat comforting, despite my embarrassment at letting my brother bait me into an argument. "Edward wants me talk to all of you-"

"Bella?"

We all looked to the door, where my sister was standing, beaming. "Alice," I said warily.

She moved slowly, deliberately so, and came to stand in front of the couch. "Hi," she said quietly, which was not like her. I immediately noticed that her mind was busy with the periodic table, while Jasper was reciting dirty Civil War-era poetry in his.

"Really, Jasper?" I snapped.

"There once was a boy from the South," he said aloud. "Whose pistol was as wide as her mouth..."

"Oh, my God!" Bella gasped, before bursting into laughter.

Alice shushed him and turned back to us. She tentatively held out her arms, and I was surprised when Bella stood to gently hug her. "I'm so glad you're here," Alice said sincerely.

I caught Jasper pretending to wipe a tear from his eye and glared at him. "How you even ended up with her," I said, but he just smirked and leaned further back in his chair.

"It wasn't that I didn't want to meet you before," my sister said apologetically, wedging her way between Bella and me on the couch. "It just wasn't the right time." Before Bella could respond, Alice launched into a lengthy explanation of her gift, of Jasper's, of what they'd been doing since Bella came to stay with me. Much more like the sister I knew.

Jasper raised his eyebrows at me and chuckled silently. I watched him, as he gazed fondly at his rambling wife, and I wondered if I wore the same dopey expression when I looked at Bella. I was sure I did.

Eventually Bella managed to get in a question. "So have you always known how this will end?" she asked, pointing between herself and me.

"Yes and no. I mean, I wouldn't say I ever 'know' how something will 'end.'" Alice glanced at me and smiled. "I can see Edward," she started, turning her attention back to Bella. "But I've never met you. So now that I have, who knows?"

"But we're doing okay?" Bella asked nervously.

"What do you think?" Alice asked seriously.

Bella searched my face before nodding slowly. "I think we are."

"Then that's how you're doing."

"Pain in the ass, isn't it?" Jasper asked, dropping his feet to the floor. "That's why it's best not to ask."

"How do you know when to step in?" Bella asked.

"I don't."

Bella swallowed and absent-mindedly laid her hand on Alice's forearm. "I wouldn't want to know," she said compassionately. "I wouldn't want to see what you see." Most of the time, neither did I.

"I don't mind it," Alice reassured her. "It's not all bad! I mean, it could be. Say, for instance, you wanted to go get ice cream with Edward." I could only imagine where she was going with this. "But then I saw you in a car wreck!"

"Alice!" I yelled.

"Okay, bad example. Say-"

"I wanted to be a vampire," Bella said, interrupting her.

"Is that something you'd want me to see?" Alice asked cautiously.

Bella ignored the question and stared pointedly at me. "I want this, Edward. I don't know if this is why you wanted me to talk to everyone, but-"

"It's not," I said, shooting a look at Alice. "I want it, too. But I think it's important to talk to someone else, besides me." I was not the most unbiased vampire she knew.

"You can talk to me about it, Bella," Jasper offered, grinning. "What did you want to know?"

Bella was thoughtful for a moment. "I asked Edward if he hated it. Being a vampire."

Jasper nodded slowly and folded his arms against his chest. "Sometimes. I hate not drinking human blood."

"You've all drank...human blood?"

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. "Except for Rosalie, yes," I answered. "We've all...fed from humans."

"She's tasted it, though," Alice argued.

"Is it a moral thing?" Bella asked.

Jasper snickered. "For some of us." I knew what he wasn't saying. Jasper and Emmett complied with our diet, because their mates were more important to them. Not sparing human lives.

"How much do you resent it?"

"Some days more than others," Jasper said evenly. When Bella was silent, he went on. "What else?"

"I don't want..." Her voice cracked, and she tried to clear her throat. "I don't want Edward to have to choose."

Alice spoke before I could. "He chooses you, Bella."

"No, I mean...if I'm not allowed to be a part of your family..."

"Who said you couldn't be a part of our family?" Jasper asked, confused.

"No one's asked her," Alice said, too quietly for Bella to hear.

In my quest for fairness and for Bella to make a balanced decision, I'd forgotten to weigh in myself. Maybe I should have warned her of my idiot tendencies. "We all accept you, Bella. I should have told you," I said.

"Oh. You've talked about it?"

"The night you gathered them to talk to you," I said, glancing to Alice and Jasper.

"Edward decided he wanted you."

"Dammit, Jasper!" I spat.

"And Carlisle approved," Alice said, trying to smooth things over. "Esme was heartbroken at the idea of losing you." She sprung up and moved to her husband's side, giving me the opportunity to pull Bella closer. "So yes, you are already a part of the family."

Jasper shoved off the desk and grabbed her up. "Are we finished here, darlin'?" he asked, nipping at her neck.

Alice squealed and slapped at him. "Why are you here?" she asked me, twisting in his arms to face us.

"I felt I should probably see what I'd missed."

"Cases closed," Jasper drawled.

"He says he wants to open a private investigation firm next," Alice said, rolling her eyes.

"You know I was an investigative journalist."

Jasper jerked his head toward Bella and smiled. "That's right..."

I wasn't sure how I felt about my mate and brother-in-law, sneaking around together, though I had to admit, Jasper's affection for Bella was genuine. He truly enjoyed being around her. And she trusted him, which was the most unusual aspect of it. No one repelled humans like Jasper.

"Swan and Whitlock," Bella said, spreading her hands out in front of her.

"Whitlock and Swan," Jasper corrected, mimicking her gesture.

My sister was beside herself, thrilled that someone other than me so easily accepted her husband. I caught her eye and smiled, wondering how much she knew and didn't want to say. She was still blocking me with inane mind chatter, and Jasper was too focused on the two women in the room. As long as Alice would tell me if she did, indeed, see Bella in a wreck, I could live with it.

Alice wandered over to me while the other two argued. "You know it's why I've stayed away," she said quietly.

I nodded and threw my arm around her tiny shoulders. "Bella asked me if I knew how kind my family was," I said, glancing down at her. "Thanks." I would have said more, but my throat was closing up.

"Do you want to know?"

"Only if it's bad."

"Is turning into a vampire bad?" she asked cheekily.

For the first time in my long, undead life, I didn't think it was.


End file.
